LAWS OF SOLOMON ISLANDS

[1996 EDITION]

CHAPTER 162

SEAMEN DISCIPLINE (ADMIRALTY TRANSPORT)

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF DISCIPLINE ON BOARD ADMIRALTY TRANSPORTS

[12th April 1918]

3 of 1918
9 of 1918

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Seamen Discipline (Admiralty Transport) Act.

Seamen neglecting to join ship deserting or joining in state of drunkenness

2.—(1) Any person lawfully engaged to serve on board any ship or vessel belonging to or chartered or hired or requisitioned by the Defence Council who—

(a) neglects or refuses without reasonable cause to join his ship or vessel, or to proceed to sea in his ship or vessel, or deserts, or is absent without leave from his ship or vessel or from his duty at any time; or

(b) joins his ship or vessel or is whilst on board his ship or vessel in a state of drunkenness so that the performance of his duties or the navigation of his ship or vessel is thereby impeded,

shall be guilty of an offence under this section and the master, mate or owner of the ship or vessel or his agent or any commissioned naval officer may with or without the assistance of the local police officers or constables convey on board his ship or vessel any seaman whom he has reason to believe to be guilty of an offence under this section and may also arrest him without first procuring a warrant, and all officers and constables as aforesaid are hereby directed to give assistance if required:

Provided always that no commissioned naval officer acting in pursuance of the powers aforesaid shall be liable to any penalty or to any action for damages for false imprisonment.

(2) If such seaman is brought before the court on a charge of having committed an offence under this section he shall if the offence comes within the provisions of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) hereof be liable on conviction to the penalties prescribed for such offences in section 221 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and if the offence comes within the provisions of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) hereof he shall be liable on conviction to a fine of ten dollars.
57 & 58 Vict. c. 60

Jurisdiction

3. For the purpose of giving jurisdiction under this Act every offence committed on board a ship or vessel whilst in Solomon Islands waters shall be deemed to have been committed on the sea coast adjoining such Solomon Islands waters and every cause of complaint to have arisen either in the place in which the same actually was committed or arose or in any place in which the offender or person complained against may have been found.

Admissibility of copies of log

4. For the purposes of this Act a copy of any entry made in an official log book in the manner provided by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, shall if it purports to be signed and certified as a true copy or extract by the officer in whose custody the original log book is entrusted be admissible in evidence in any court.

(No Subsidiary Legislation.)