The chairman shall appoint a secretary of the Commission, and may appoint such other deputies and assistants as may be necessary, who shall be responsible to the chairman through the secretary. The secretary and his deputies and assistants shall have and may exercise any power that the chairman himself may exercise. All actions taken by the secretary, including the signing of any documents and papers provided for in this Chapter, shall be effective as though  the chairman himself had taken such action or signed such documents or papers. (1931, c. 60, s. 7; c. 296, s. 8; 1933, c. 31, s. 1; 1957, c. 541, s. 18; 1963, c. 1130; 1969, c. 445, s. 1; 1971, c. 780, s. 1; 1983, c. 717, s. 91.)