ELECTRICITY ACT 1945 - SECT 50
ELECTRICITY ACT 1945 - SECT 50
50 . Alteration of meter
(1) Any person who
alters the index to any meter or prevents any meter from duly registering the
quantity of electricity supplied by the supply authority or by any means
causes any meter to register incorrectly or by any means diverts electricity
for his own or any other purpose so that the quantity of such electricity will
not be registered by the meter shall be guilty of an offence.
Penalty: In the case of an individual, $2 000, and
in the case of a body corporate, $10 000.
(2) Upon the
conviction of a person for an offence under subsection (1), the court, in
addition to imposing a fine under such subsection, may order that the offender
pay to the supply authority affected a further sum as compensation for actual
damage suffered in consequence of the wrongful act of the offender and also a
still further sum (not exceeding $200) as exemplary damages, and payment of
the total amount specified in such order shall be enforceable in the same
manner as payment of the fine imposed under subsection (1) is enforceable.
(3) The existence of
artificial means for causing any alteration, prevention or diversion or for
abstracting, consuming or using electricity mentioned in subsection (1) shall,
when the meter lines or works interfered with are under the control or charge
or in the care of the consumer, be prima facie evidence that such alteration,
prevention, diversion, abstraction or consumption (as the case may be) has
been caused or carried out by the consumer in contravention of subsection (1).
[Section 50 amended: No. 113 of 1965 s. 8; No. 63
of 1996 s. 4 and 8.]