Assessment of duty by Commissioners

(1) Subject to such regulations as may be prescribed, the Commissioners may be required by any person to express their opinion with reference to any executed instrument upon the following questions– (a) whether it is chargeable with any duty; or (b) with what amount of duty it is chargeable. (2) The Commissioners may require to be furnished with an abstract or copy of the instrument and also with such evidence as they may think necessary in order to show to their satisfaction whether all the facts and circumstances affecting the instrument with regard to duty or the amount of duty chargeable thereon are fully and truly set forth therein. (3) If the Commissioners are of opinion that the instrument is not chargeable with any duty, it may be stamped with a particular stamp denoting that it is not chargeable with any duty. (4) If the Commissioners are of opinion that the instrument is chargeable with duty, they shall assess the duty with which it is, in their opinion, chargeable, and when the instrument is stamped in accordance with the assessment it may be stamped with a particular stamp denoting that it is duly stamped. (5) Every instrument stamped with a particular stamp denoting either that it is not chargeable with any duty, or is duly stamped, shall be admissible in evidence and available for all purposes notwithstanding any objection relating to duty, 21 Provided as follows– (a) an instrument upon which the duty has been assessed by the Commissioners shall not, if it is unstamped or insufficiently stamped, be stamped otherwise than in accordance with the assessment; or (b) a statutory declaration made for the purposes of this section shall not be used against any person making it in any proceedings whatever except in an inquiry as to the duty with which the instrument to which it relates is chargeable and every person by whom any such declaration is made, shall on payment of the duty chargeable upon the instrument to which it relates be relieved from any fine or disability to which he may be liable by reason of the omission to state truly in the instrument any fact or circumstance required by this Act to be stated therein.