(1) The Government is not liable for anything done under section 186, except that if after the wages or effects of a seafarer have been dealt with under section 186 and legal proceedings are taken by the seafarer against the owner, the master or the agent of the ship in respect of the wages or the effects, the Director-General shall, if notice is given to the Director-General of the proceedings and a reasonable opportunity afforded the Director-General of appearing, comply with the order of the Court made as regards the wages or effects so far as the Director-General can do so out of the wages and effects remitted to the Authority in respect of the voyage of the ship.

(2) The Board may appear and be heard in the proceedings referred to in subsection (1).

(3) The Board may as it thinks fit meet a claim by a seafarer against the owner, master or agent of the ship in respect of the wages or effects dealt with under section 186 although legal proceedings have not been taken in respect of them.

(4) Where the Authority has given notice to the master or owner of the ship and the master or owner of the ship has not given written notice of the master's or owner's objection within ten days of the notice being given, the expense incurred by the Authority under this subsection is recoverable by the Government as a civil debt.

(5) For the purpose of this section, legal proceedings taken or a claim made by a person in whose favour an allotment note has been made are to be treated as proceedings taken or claim made by the seafarer.