Section 338

Where a case of death happens on board any foreign-going British ship, the crew of which is discharged at any port within Singapore, the Superintendent shall, on the arrival of the ship at that port, inquire into the cause of the death, and shall make in the official log-book an endorsement to the effect either that the statement of the cause of death in the log-book is in his opinion true, or the contrary, according to the result of the inquiry.

If in the course of any such inquiry it appears to the Superintendent that any such death has been caused on board the ship by violence or other improper means, he shall either report the matter to the Minister, if such ship is registered in Singapore, or to the Board of Trade if such ship is not so registered, or if the emergency of the case so requires shall take immediate steps for bringing the offender or offenders to justice.

The Superintendent shall for the purpose of an inquiry under this section have the powers of an inspector under this Act.[375