PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, ESQ., GOVERNOR.

tion with the powers and duties of the Commission and of the
members thereof, and generally to perform all duties and serv-
ices as attorney and counsel to the Commission which the Com-
mission may reasonably require of him, whenever, applica-
tion, protest or other form of complaint is made to the Com-
mission of or concerning any act or omission, any service, regu-
lation, equipment, appliance or facilities, or the adequacy or
quality thereof, any preferences or advantage or any prejudice,
disadvantage or any discrimination, any rates, tolls, fares or
charges, or any regulations or practices with respect thereto,
or of or concerning any other matter or thing done, permitted,
maintained or omitted to be done by any person, firm or cor-
poration, subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, with
respect to any of the requirements imposed by the Public Serv-
ice Commission Law, by any other law, by any charter, fran-
chise or ordinance, by any order of this Commission or other-
wise, it shall be the duty of said General Counsel in person or
through an assistant, whenever the Commission shall so direct,
upon a prima facie case, or otherwise, or when there shall
appear to the Commission to be any reasonable ground for
investigating, or further investigating, such application, com-
plaint or protest, to participate in the preparation or reform-
ing of the pleadings before the Commission, if need be, or
investigating or further investigating the facts or evidence upon
which the application, complaint or protest is based or may be
based and to appear before the Commission in respect to investi-
gations or in support of applications or complaints by or on
behalf of or in the interest of the public or in defense of the
public interests when involved and subject to the order of the
Commission the services of the experts employed by said Com-
mission as well as the records and other facilities of the Com-
mission shall be availed of by said General Counsel or his
assistant in the performance of these public duties; provided
that nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent any
party or interest in any proceeding before said Commission
from appearing in person or from being represented by counsel.
The assistant, or assistants appointed by the General Counsel
shall perform such other duties as the General Counsel may
prescribe. All actions and proceedings under thrs act, and all
actions and proceedings commenced and prosecuted by order
of the Commission, and all actions and proceedings to which
the Commission may be a party and in which any question
arises under this act, or under or concerning any order or
action of the Commission, shall be preferred over all other civil
causes except election causes, in all the Courts of the State of