89. If any person wilfully impairs any meter, belonging to any such company, or knowingly suffers the same to be altered or impaired so that the meter or meters record less gas than actually passes through the same, such person shall incur a penalty to the use of the company, for every such offence, of a sum of not less than $4 nor more than $20, and shall also pay all charges necessary for the repairing or replacing the said meter, and double the value of the surplus gas so consumed; and such damages, penalties and charges shall be recoverable with costs as hereinafter provided.
R. S. 1964, c. 285, s. 89.