21Procedure of Commission and associated matters

21 Procedure of Commission and associated matters

(1)  Subject to this Act, the Commission may regulate its own procedure.

(2)  *[Section 21 Subsection (2) amended by No. 113 of 1986, s. 6 ]*Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) , the Commission may, in relation to a matter before it –

(a) at or before the commencement of proceedings before the Commission, ascertain whether all private employers referred to in section 66 (1) who, and all organizations the members of which, in the opinion of the Commission, may be subject to an award made by the Commission, have been summoned to attend the proceedings, or have been given notice of those proceedings;

(b) [Section 21 Subsection (2) amended by No. 18 of 1997, s. 10, Applied:28 Jun 1997] direct that organisations or persons be summoned to attend those proceedings;

(c) at any stage of those proceedings, dismiss a matter or a part of a matter, or refrain from further hearing, or determining, the matter or part if the Commission is satisfied –

(i) that the matter or part is trivial;

(ii) that further proceedings are not necessary or desirable in the public interest; or

(iii) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

(iv) that, for any other reason, the matter or part should be dismissed or the hearing of those proceedings should be discontinued, as the case may be;

(d) take evidence on oath or affirmation;

(e) proceed to hear and determine the matter or any part of the matter in the absence of any party to it who has been duly summoned to appear or been duly served with notice of those proceedings;

(f) sit at any place;

(g) adjourn to any time and place;

(h) direct any person, whether a witness or intending witness or not, to leave the place in which those proceedings are being conducted;

(i) refer any matter to an expert and accept his report as evidence;