Cap. 234 Art. 157Effects and wages of seamen left behind.  

(1) If a seaman or apprentice belonging to a Maltese ship is left behind, the master of the ship shall -

(a) as soon as may be enter in the official log book a statement of the property left on board by the seaman or apprentice and of the amount due to him on account of wages at the time he was left behind; and

(b) on the termination of the voyage during which the seaman or apprentice was left behind, furnish, within forty-eight hours after the arrival of the ship at the port at which the voyage terminates, the shipping master, if the voyage terminates in Malta, or, if the voyage terminates at a port in which there is a Maltese consular officer, to such officer, such accounts and in such form as they may require of the property left on board by the seaman or apprentice and of any wages due to him, as well as of the deductions, if any, to be made from such wages, and of any expenses caused to the master or owner of the ship by the absence of the seaman where the absence is due to desertion, neglect to join his ship or other conduct constituting offence under article 171.

(2) The master of the ship shall deliver to the officer to whom the account aforesaid is made the property of the seaman or apprentice as shown in that account and, subject to any deductions or expenses allowed under this article, the amount due for wages as shown in that account; and that officer shall give to the master a receipt therefor.

(3) No deduction claimed by the master shall be allowed unless claimed in such account and verified by an entry in the official log book made and attested as required by this Act; and no expenses claimed by the master or owner shall be allowed unless claimed in the account aforesaid and appear to the officer receiving the account to be properly chargeable and, when so required by him, verified by vouchers.

(4) The officer to whom payment and delivery as aforesaid have been made shall remit the property and any amount received on account of wages under this article to the Minister or deal with such property and wages in such manner as the Minister directs.

(5) If the master of a ship fails without reasonable cause to comply with this article, he shall (in addition to any other liability) be liable for each offence to a fine (multa) not exceeding fifty units.