Section 289
SEC. 289. The Court of Customs Appeals shall consist of three judges, the Secretary of Finance and Justice to be the president of such court one of the judges of the Supreme Court, to be designated, from time to time, by the Civil Governor, shall be the second member, competent person to be appointed by the Civil Governor, with the advice and consent of the United States Philippine Commission, shall be the third member. The third member of the court shall act as its clerk and shall receive a compensation at the rate of four thousand five hundred dollars per year, in money of the United States. He shall possess the qualifications required by law for judges of the Supreme Court, and may he required to perform a the duties of a judge of a Court of First Instance of any province in the Islands, when directed in writing to do so by the Civil Governor, in which case bis acts, proceedings, and judgments shall be of equal validity as though he were the regular judge of the Court of First Instance in the province in which he shall per form such duties. Judges of the Court of Customs Appeals shall have power to administer oaths, and, as to proceedings pending before it, the court shall have all power of the Supreme Court for the Philippine Islands, as defined in Acts Numbered One hundred and thirty-six and Numbered One hundred and ninety. It shall be a court of record and have a seal. Two judges shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. It shall he the duty of the Attorney General, or some person detailed from his office for that purpose, to represent the Government before the court in aid of the Insular Collector. The judges shall, before entering upon the performance of their duties, take the oath required by law to be taken by judicial office. The clerk may employ such deputies, clerical assistants, typewriters, stenographers, and messengers, and at such salaries, as a majority of the judges shall authorize. Said court shall be deemed to be always open.