59. Inquiries as to fires---(1) The Minister [of Forestry] may, at the
 request of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission or of any Fire
 Authority or of his own motion, appoint any person or persons (including
 a Rural Fire Mediator) to hold an inquiry into and report upon the
 circumstances of and the steps taken to deal with any fire in any
 district, whether it occurred before or after the commencement of this
 Act, and any other matter which the Minister [of Forestry] may consider
 appropriate to the inquiry.

   (2) The person or persons holding any such inquiry shall, for the
 purposes thereof, be deemed to be a Commission of Inquiry under the
 Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908, and, subject to this section, that Act
 shall apply accordingly.

   (3) In any such case the Fire Authority may, pending the holding of
 the inquiry as to that fire, take and retain possession of any property
 damaged, or the remains of any property destroyed, by the fire.

   (4) At any such inquiry the Fire Authority may be represented by a
 member thereof, or by a Fire Officer of the Fire Authority, or by any
 other person authorised by the Fire Authority, who may adduce evidence
 and examine and cross-examine witnesses.
     Cf. 1955, No. 44, s. 55; 1963, No. 31, s. 10

       In subs. (1) the words ``of Forestry'' were inserted in 2 places
     by s. 2 (1) (a) of the Forest and Rural Fires Amendment Act 1987.