306.—(1) An emigrant ship shall not clear outwards or proceed to sea until—

(a) either a medical practitioner, appointed by the emigration officer at the port of clearance, has inspected all the steerage passengers and crew about to proceed in the ship, and has certified to the emigration officer, and that officer is satisfied, that none of the steerage passengers or crew appear to be by reason of any bodily or mental disease unfit to proceed, or likely to endanger the health or safety of the other persons about to proceed in the ship; or

(b) the emigration officer, if he cannot on any particular occasion obtain the attendance of a medical practitioner, grants written permission for the purpose.

(2) The inspection shall take place either on board the ship, or, in the discretion of the emigration officer, at such convenient place on shore before embarkation, as he appoints, and the master, owner, or charterer of the ship shall pay to the emigration officer in respect of the inspection such fee not exceeding twenty shillings for every hundred persons or fraction of a hundred persons inspected, as the Board of Trade determine.

(3) If this section is not complied with in the case of any emigrant ship, the master of the ship shall for each offence be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.