South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts34—"May" imports a
discretion, "shall" is imperative
Where, in any Act passed after the first day of January, 1873, the word "may"
is used in conferring a power, it implies that the power may be exercised
or not, at discretion; and where, in any such Act the word "shall" is used in
conferring a power, it implies that the power must be exercised.