198.—(1) If three or more of the crew of a British ship consider that the provisions or water for the use of the crew are at any time of bad quality, unfit for use, or deficient in quantity, they may complain thereof to any of the following officers, namely, an officer in command of one of Her Majesty’s ships, a British consular officer, a superintendent, or a chief officer of customs, and the officer may either examine the provisions or water complained of or cause them to be examined.

(2) If the officer, or person making the examination, finds that the provisions or water are of bad quality and unfit for use, or deficient in quantity, he shall signify it in writing to the master of the ship, and if the master of the ship does not thereupon provide other proper provisions or water in lieu of any so signified to be of bad quality and unfit for use, or does not procure the requisite quantity of any provisions or water so signified to be deficient in quantity, or uses any provisions or water so signified to be of bad quality and unfit for use, he shall for each offence be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

(3) The officer directing, or the person making, the examination shall enter a statement of the result of the examination in the official log-book, and send a report thereof to the Board of Trade, and that report shall be admissible in evidence in manner provided by this Act.

(4) If the said officer certifies in that statement that there was no reasonable ground for the complaint, each of the complainants shall be liable to forfeit to the owner out of his wages a sum not exceeding one week’s wages.