72. Powers of court in case of unreasonable delay in paying seaman's wages

In any action or other legal proceedings by any seaman of a ship for the recovery of any sum due to him on account of wages, the court may! if it appears that the payment of the sum due has been delayed otherwise than owing to the act or default of the seaman or to any reasonable dispute as to liability, or to any other cause not being the wrongful act or default of the person liable to make the payment 1 order that person to pay1 in addition to any sum due on account of wages, such sum as the court thinks just as damages in respect of the delay!

without prejudice to any claim which may be made by the seaman on that account.