Punishment for criminal contempt

(1) No punishment exceeding imprisonment for a term of three months or a fine of two hundred and fifty dollars shall be inflicted for criminal contempt where the contempt takes place in the face of the Court, as by some insult offered to a judge or judges, or by any interruption of the proceedings or otherwise, or where, although not committed in the face of the Court, it is calculated to obstruct, interfere with or improperly prejudice the administration of justice in proceedings pending in the Court. (2) The Court may, in punishing by fine, order that the fine shall be paid within a definite time, not less than seven days after the date of the order, and that in default of payment the offender shall be imprisoned for any term not exceeding three months.