169. Allowances for short or bad provisions.- (1) In either of the following case, that is to say,- (a) if during the voyage the allowance of any of the provisions for which a seaman has by his agreement stipulated is reduced, or (b) if it is shown that any of those provisions are or have during the voyage been bad in quality or unfit for use, the seaman shall receive by way of compensation for that reduction or bad quality according to the time of its continuance, sums in accordance with such scale as may be prescribed, to be paid to him in addition to, and to be recoverable as, wages. (2) If it is shown to the satisfaction of the court before which the case is tried that any provisions, the allowance of which has been reduced, could not be procured or supplied in proper quantities, and that ;ripper and equivalent substitutes were supplied in lieu thereof, the court shall take those circumstances into consideration in making an order. |
