97 Reciprocal notification and consultation between Ministry and Veterinary Department (1) There shall be between the Ministry and the Department of Veterinary Services a system of reciprocal n otification as to outbreaks or threatened outbreaks of diseases liable to affect both man and animals, and of consultation as to the making of regulations or the taking of measures in connection therewith. (2) Whenever under this Act it is necessary to determine the presence or absence of disease in any live animal otherwise than by the bacteriological examination of secretions, discharges or other material, only the certificate of an approved veterinary surgeon shall be evidence. 98 Domicile of persons for purposes of this Act Where any question arises as to the domicile of any person for the purposes of this Act, it shall be referred to the Minister, whose decision thereon shall be final and conclusive. 99 Contracts in respect of dwellings not to be affected Except as specially provided in subsection (5) of section eighty-seven and subsection (4) of section ninetytwo, nothing in this Act shall prejudice the remedies of any owner or occupier of a dwelling or premises for the breach, non-observance or non-performance of any contract entered into by an owner or occupier in respect of which dwelling or premises an order has been made by the court or a local authority under this Act. 100 Savings as to recovery of damage Subject to section one hundred and one, nothing in this Act shall be construed as depriving any person of any right which he may possess to institute legal proceedings and to obtain damages in any court of law for loss or injury sustained through the neglect of any local authority or any person to perform any duty imposed by this Act or otherwise. 101 Protection of State and local authorities Whenever, in the exercise of any power conferred or in the performance of any duties imposed upon the State or any officer thereof or a local authority or any officer thereof under this Act or any other law relating to public health, he or it is alleged to have caused injury to any p erson or damage to any property or otherwise to have detrimentally affected the rights of any person, whether in respect of property or otherwise, it shall be a defence in any legal proceedings founded on such an allegation and brought against the State or its officer or a local authority or its officer that the defendant or respondent has used the best known or the only or most practicable and available methods in the exercise of the power or the performance of the duties aforesaid. In the case of such pro ceedings against a local authority a certificate signed by the Chief Health Officer that the defendant or respo ndent has, when regard is had to all the circumstances, used the best known or the only or most practicable and available methods shall be accepted by the court as prima facie evidence of that fact. 102 Protection of officers No report made or action taken or thing done by the Minister or by a Government health officer or medical officer of health or approved veterinary surgeon or health inspector or any generally or specially authorized officer of the State or of a local authority in the exercise of any power conferred or the performance of any duty imposed by this Act shall subject him in his personal capacity to any legal proceedings whatsoever, provided such report was made or action was taken or thing was done in good faith and without negligence. 103 Powers of entry and inspection of premises and penalties for obstruction (1) Any health officer or medical or health inspector of the Ministry, or any district administrator or district officer, or any police officer or any other person generally or specially authorized by the Minister, and any medical officer of health or health inspector or other person generally or specially authorized by the local authority, may, at any hour reasonable for the proper performance of the duty, enter any land or premises to make any inspection or to perform any work or to do anything which he is required or authorized by this Act or any other law to do, if such inspection, work or thing is necessary for or incidental to the performance of his duties or the exercise of his powers. (2) Any person who fails to give or refuses access to any officer, inspector or person mentioned in or autho rized under subsection (1) if he requests entrance on any land or premises, or obstructs or hinders him in the execution of his duties under this Act, or who fails or refuses to give information that he may lawfully be required to give to such officer, inspector or person, or who gives to such officer, inspector or person false or misleading information knowing it to be false or misleading, or who prevents the owner or any of his servants or workmen from entering any land or dwelling or premises for the purpose of complying with any requirement under this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment. [Subsection as amended section 4 of Act No. 22 of 2001] 104 Penalties for fraudulent conduct in connection with certificates under this Act Any person who— (a) for the purpose of obtaining any certificate under this Act, makes any false statement or is a party to any false pretence or conduct, knowing it to be false; or