52. Appeal against apportionment of fire-fighting costs in regional
 fire emergency---(1) If a Fire Authority is dissatisfied with the
 apportionment by the [Secretary of Forestry] pursuant to section 51 of
 this Act of the costs incurred in the control, restriction, suppression,
 and extinction of forest, rural, or other fires in any area, it may, at
 any time within one month after notice of the apportionment has been
 given to it, request the Minister [of Forestry] to appoint a Rural Fire
 Mediator to give in the public interest a final decision regarding such
 apportionment.

   (2) Pending the decision of the Mediator, the apportionment shall be
 deemed to be suspended.
     Cf. 1955, No. 44, s. 45; 1963, No. 31, s. 7

       In subs. (1) the words ``Secretary of Forestry'' were substituted
     for the word ``Director-General'' by s. 7 of the Forest and Rural
     Fires Amendment Act 1987, and the words ``of Forestry'' were
     inserted by s. 2 (1) (a) of that Act.