72-7-2: [Duty of state engineer to produce papers and data in case; certified copies.]

It shall be the duty of the state engineer, upon being served with notice of appeal as aforesaid, to forthwith transmit or produce before the district court to which appeal may be taken the papers, maps, plats, field notes and other data in his possession affecting the matter in controversy, or certified copies thereof, which copies shall be admitted in evidence as of equal validity with the originals.