The board shall issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses before the board, or any member thereof, in the same manner as any court in this state. Whenever the testimony of any witness upon any matter pending before it is material, the president shall cause the attendance of the witnesses before the board, or a member of the board, to testify concerning the matter, and the board may make a reasonable allowance for this purpose not exceeding the fees of witnesses in civil cases. The allowance shall be paid for out of the appropriation for the expense of the board, but in no instance shall an allowance be made in favor of a witness who appears in behalf of a claimant. The provisions of this section shall not apply to proceedings conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.