Relief of distressed seamen be- longing to ship registered
in the Colony.
Apprehen-
sion and detention
of seamen
etc
14
the space of six months previously, served on board a ship for wages as a seaman, and that the protection from arrest hereby granted shall not be held to extend to any person not coming within such definition, or in any case to masters, mates or engineers.
[5(12)
14. (1) All expenses incurred under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts in the relief of distressed seamen who, at the time of such relief being granted, have last served in a ship registered in the Colony, and all expenses incurred in the United Kingdom in relieving and returning to the Colony ali distressed scamen who last served in such ship, shall be borne by the revenue of the Colony.
[7(1)
(2) The Governor may order the payment out of the general revenue of all expenses incurred in the Colony for the relief of such seamen as aforesaid under the provisions of the said Acts or of any regulations in that behalf which may be made by the Governor in Council.
[7(2)
(3) The Governor may order the repayment out of the general revenue of all sums expended under the provisions of the said Acts by the United Kingdom Government or by the Shipwrecked Mariners Society or by the Government of any country of the Commonwealth, or by any British consular officer in any foreign country, in and about the relief of such seamen as aforesaid, and such sums shall be refunded in such manner as the Governor may think fit or as a Secretary of State may direct.
[7(3)
PART IV.
DESERTION and Other ÜTFENCES.
15. (1) If any seaman or apprentice belonging to the crew of any British ship deserts therefrom or absents himself from his duty while the ship is within the waters of the Colony, it who desert, shall be lawful for any police officer, or for the master or person in charge of the ship, or for any one specially deputed by such master or person in charge, to arrest such seaman or apprentice without warrant and convey him before a magistrate, and in case such seaman or apprentice refuses to return to his duty on board the ship or does not give a sufficient reason for such refusal, the magistrate may order such seaman or apprentice to be put forcibly on board the ship or to be confined in any prison or other place of security within the Colony, for any period until he can
11
be put on board the ship when the ship leaves the port or until he is demanded by the master of the ship: Provided always that the said period of confinement shall not in the absence of such departure or demand exceed three months.
[9(1)
(2) If any seaman or apprentice deserts when within the waters of the Colony from a merchant ship belonging to a subject of any foreign country to which an Order in Council has declared that section 238 of the principal Act shall apply, any court, justice, or officer who would have had cognizance of the matter if the seaman or apprentice had deserted from a British ship shall on the application of a consular officer of the foreign country aid in apprehending the deserter, and for that purpose may on information given upon oath issue a warrant for his apprehension, and on proof of the desertion order him to be conveyed on board his ship or delivered to the master or mate of his ship, or to the owner of the ship or his agent to be so convey- ed, and any such warrant or order may be executed accordingly. Any person who harbours or secretes any deserter liable to be apprehended under this subsection, knowing or having reason to believe that he has deserted, shall be liable to a fine of two hundred dollars.
[9(1) (b)
(3) A magistrate, on complaint of the master of any British ship to the effect that he has reasonable cause to believe that any seaman who has deserted while such ship is within the waters of the Colony is harboured, secreted or concealed, or suspected to be harboured, secreted or concealed, on board any other ship, boat or other vessel or in any house or place whatsoever, may issue a warrant directing a police officer to search such ship, boat or other vessel, or such house or place, and to lodge such seaman in any police station, and any such seaman shall with all convenient speed be brought before a magistrate to be dealt with as is herein before directed.
[8(2)
(4) Any person who-
(d) harbours, conceals, employs or retains, or assists in harbouring, concealing, employing or retaining, any seaman belonging to the crew of any British ship who has deserted therefrom or otherwise absconded or ab- sented himself from duty while such ship is within the waters of the Colony, knowing such seaman to have deserted, absconded or absented himself from duty; or