The referee appointed as provided in this article possesses all the powers and is subject to all the duties of a referee appointed in a civil action, so far as practicable, and may punish for contempt a witness duly served with the papers as prescribed in this article for non-attendance or refusal to be sworn or to testify or to produce books, papers and documents according to the direction of the endorsement aforesaid, in the same manner and to the same extent as a referee to hear, try and determine an issue of fact or of law.
New York Legal Code