16. Competent authority may require undertakings to carry out work

A competent authority may, if it appears to the competent authority to be necessary or expedient to do so in the interests of public safety, the defence of the country, or for maintaining supplies and services essential to the life of the community, or for carrying out exercises for any of those purposes, direct any person carrying on any undertaking to perform any service or carry out any work for the competent authority or for such persons or class of persons as may be specified by the competent authority for such period as may be specified by the authority.

Any direction given under subsection (1) must not require any person to perform any work or service beyond the period during which this section is in operation.