2. (1) Notaries are legal practitioners and public officers whose chief duty is to draw up and execute deeds and contracts to which the parties are bound or desire to give the character of authenticity attached to acts of the public authority and to assure the date thereof.
(2) Their duties shall also include the preservation of the deposit of the deeds executed by them en minute, the giving of communication thereof and the issuing of authentic copies thereof or extracts therefrom.