Chap. 76.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 4 of the act entitled an
act imposing public duties on heat, light, power, water, and telephone
companies, and providing for the control and regulation of such com-
panies by the State corporation Gommission, approved March 27, 1914,
providing for the expense incurred in the execution of said act, and
making appropriations therefor. (H. B. 56)

Approved February 10, 1915.

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section four
of the act entitled an act imposing public duties on heat, light, power,
water, and telephone companies and providing for the control and regu-
lation of such companies by the State corporation commission, be, and
the same is hereby amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

4, For the purpose of carrying out this act the State corporation
commission is empowered to employ all necessary accountants, examiners,
stenographers, engineers, assistants, or agents, and the sum of five thou-
sand dollars is hereby appropriated annually for the purpose of paying
the expense thereby incurred, which expense shall be paid out of the public
treasury upon the orders of the State corporation commission entered
upon the records of its proceedings.

The State corporation commission is empowered to appoint by written
orders special agents, whose duties shall be defined in such order and
who shall have all inquisitorial powers and the right to require the attend-
ance of witnesses and parties, now possessed by the State corporation
commission. Such agents may make either special investigations and
reports for the information of the State corporation commission, or if
so directed in such order, any such agent shall conduct the hearing of
any complaint, taking testimony upon such notice and subject to the
rules for taking depositions in a chancery cause, which testimony shall
be reduced to writing. Such agent shall report his findings to the State
corporation commission, and file the testimony taken before him there-
with. The recommendations of such agents shall be advisory and shall
not preclude the State corporation commission from taking further
testimony.