§ 41. Hearings.

The Board of Trustees, upon its own initiative, or upon the request of an applicant for the benefits provided for by this subtitle, shall conduct a hearing on said claim, which hearing shall be conducted as a judicial proceeding, all witnesses testifying under oath or by affirmation, and a record of the proceedings shall be made and kept. At such hearing, the investigation shall be conducted in such manner as to ascertain the substantial rights of the parties and the Board of Trustees shall not be bound by common law or statutory rules of evidence or by technical or formal rules of procedure.