Commonwealth Numbered Acts

NAVIGATION AMENDMENT ACT 1980 No. 87, 1980 - SECT 34

34. Sections 67 and 68 of the Principal Act are repealed and the following
sections substituted: Report of seaman's character

"67. (1) When a seaman serving under articles of agreement is discharged from
a ship, the master of the ship shall make and sign, in accordance with the
prescribed form or in a form approved by the Minister by instrument in
writing, and give to a proper authority at a port, a report of the conduct,
character and qualifications of the seaman.



"(2) When a contract of sea service with a seaman is terminated or otherwise
ceases to be in force, the employer shall make and sign, in accordance with
the prescribed form or in a form approved by the Minister by instrument in
writing, and forthwith give to a proper authority at a port, a report of the
conduct, character and qualifications of the seaman.



"(3) Where a proper authority at a port is given a report of the conduct,
character and qualifications of a seaman in pursuance of sub-section (1) or
(2), he shall, if the seaman requests, give a copy of the report to the
seaman. Offences in relation to certificates of discharge and reports of
character

"68. (1) A person shall not-

   (a)  knowingly sign or give a false certificate of discharge or knowingly
        make, sign or give a false report of character;

   (b)  forge or fraudulently alter a certificate of discharge or a report of
        character;

   (c)  fraudulently use, or fraudulently produce to a proper authority at a
        port-

        (i)    a certificate of discharge; or

        (ii)   a report of character, that does not relate to that
               last-mentioned person.



"(2) In this section- 'certificate of discharge' includes a copy of such a
certificate; 'report of character' means a report under sub-section 67 (1) or
(2), and includes a copy of such a report.".