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Neglecting to join ship, deserting, or joining in a state of drunkenness.
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2.
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(1) If a person lawfully engaged to serve on board any ship or vessel belonging to or chartered, hired, or requisitioned by the Admiralty or Army Council, or by the Government of India, or of Burma, or of Ceylon, or of any British Possession-
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(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
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(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,
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he shall be guilty of an offence ; and the master, mate, or owner of the ship or vessel, or his agent, or any naval or military officer, or any superintendent as defined by the Merchant Shipping Acts,. 1894 to 1914, of the United Kingdom, may, with or without the assistance of any police officer, convey on board his ship or vessel any person whom he has reason to believe to be guilty of an offence under paragraph (a) of this subsection ; and all police officers are hereby directed to give assistance if required.
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(57 & 58 Vict. c. 60.)
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(2) The exercise of the powers conferred by the preceding subsection shall not be subject to the restrictions imposed by the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1914, of the United Kingdom, on the exercise of any similar powers conferred by those Acts, and for the purposes of this section a copy of any entry made in an official log-book in manner provided by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, of the United Kingdom, 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.
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