JUNE 1.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1479

EXCEPTIONS TO OPERATION OF REGULATIONS.

30. (1) The Minister may, by a special and temporary authorization and subject to such conditions as may be specified, permit the flight within the limits of New Zealand of an aircraft which does not possess the nationality of a contracting State or of a State to which proviso (a) to paragraph (1) of clause 6 of these regulations applies:

Provided that an aircraft, the flight of which is so permitted as aforesaid, shall while flying within the said limits carry a certificate issued either by the Minister or by the competent authority in the State whose nationality the aircraft possesses, stating that permission has been granted and the conditions, if any, subject to which it has been granted.

PENALTIES.

31. (1) If an aircraft is flown in contravention of, or fails to comply with, these regulations or any provision thereof, or if in or in respect of any aircraft any act is committed which is or is deemed to be a contravention of these regulations or any provision thereof, the owner or hirer of the aircraft (if other than the Crown) and the pilot or commander thereof shall be deemed to have contravened or, as the case may be, failed to comply with these regulations. Provided that—

(a) It shall be a defence to any proceedings for such contravention of, or failure to comply with, these regulations if the contravention or failure is proved to have been due to accident, stress of weather, or other unavoidable cause; and

(b) It shall be a defence to any proceedings under these regulations against the owner, hirer, pilot, or commander of an aircraft to prove that the alleged contravention took place without his actual fault or privity.

(2) If any person obstructs or impedes any person acting under the authority of the Minister in the exercise of his powers and duties under these regulations, such first-mentioned person shall be deemed to have acted in contravention of these regulations.

(3) If any person contravenes or commits a breach of or fails to comply with these regulations or any provision thereof, he shall on summary conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding two hundred pounds, or to both such imprisonment and fine.

POWER TO CANCEL, SUSPEND, OR ENDORSE LICENCES AND CERTIFICATES.

32. (1) Any certificate granted under Schedule I, or any licence granted under Schedule II or V, to these regulations, or the licence of any aerodrome may be cancelled, suspended, or endorsed by the Minister on sufficient ground being shown to his satisfaction, after due inquiry, and his decision shall be final; and in special cases the Minister may suspend any such licence temporarily and provisionally pending the holding of an inquiry.

(2) Any certificate granted under these regulations relating to the air-worthiness of an aircraft may be cancelled or suspended by the Minister if he is satisfied that reasonable doubt exists as to the safety of the aircraft in question or of the type to which the aircraft in question belongs, and the conditions attached to any such certificate may be varied by the Minister if he is satisfied that those conditions may properly be relaxed, or that reasonable doubt exists as to whether those conditions afford a sufficient margin of safety.

(3) Where any person is convicted of any contravention of or failure to comply with these regulations in respect of any aircraft, the Minister may cancel or suspend any certificate of registration granted under these regulations relating to that aircraft.

(4) The Minister may vary or cancel any particulars or other matter entered by him or on his authority in any licence or certificate granted, or in any journey log-book issued, under these regulations.

(5) The Minister may require the holder of any licence, certificate, or other document granted or issued under these regulations (or any person having the possession or custody of any such licence, certificate, or document) to surrender the same to him for cancellation, suspension, endorsement, or variation, in accordance with the provisions of these regulations; and any person failing to comply with any such requirement within a reasonable time shall be deemed to have failed to comply with these regulations.

DIRECTIONS.

33. The Minister may issue such directions as he thinks fit for the purpose of supplementing or giving full effect to the provisions of these regulations, including the Schedules thereto.

STATISTICAL RETURNS.

34. Every person engaged in civil aviation shall forward to the Controller of Civil Aviation such monthly or other returns as the Minister may from time to time prescribe or require for statistical purposes.

INVESTIGATION OF ACCIDENTS.

Application of Regulations.

35. The following regulations shall apply to accidents arising out of, or in the course of, air navigation which occur in or over New Zealand, or which occur elsewhere to New Zealand aircraft registered in New Zealand.

Notification of Accidents.

36. (1) Where an accident to which these regulations apply occurs, and involves death or personal injury to any person, whether carried in the aircraft or not, or such serious structural damage to the aircraft as is hereinafter mentioned, or is believed on reasonable grounds to have been caused or