Merchant Shipping Act, 1894

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Reference in difficult cases to scientific persons.

490.—(1) If the Board of Trade are of opinion that an appeal to a court of survey involves a question of construction or design or of scientific difficulty or important principle, they may refer the matter to such one or more out of a list of scientific referees from time to time approved by a Secretary of State, as may appear to possess the special qualifications necessary for the particular case, and may be selected by agreement between the Board of Trade and the appellant, or in default of any such agreement by a Secretary of State, and thereupon the appeal shall be determined by the referee or referees, instead of by the court of survey.

(2) The Board of Trade, if the appellant in any appeal so requires and gives security to the satisfaction of the Board to pay the costs of and incidental to the reference, shall refer that appeal to a referee or referees so selected as aforesaid.

(3) The referee or referees shall have the same powers as a judge of the court of survey.

Payments to Officers of Courts.