(1) Whenever a ship is wrecked, stranded or in distress, all persons may, for the purpose of rendering assistance to the ship or of saving the lives of the shipwrecked persons, or of saving the cargo or equipment of the ship, unless there is some public road equally convenient, pass and repass, either with or without vehicles or animals, over any adjoining lands without being subject to interruption by the owner or occupier of the land, so that they do as little damage as possible and may also on the like condition, deposit on these lands any cargo or other article recovered from the ship.
(2) Any damage sustained by an owner or occupier as a consequence of the exercise of the rights under this section shall be a charge on the ship, cargo or articles in respect of or by which the damage 85 is sustained and in case of dispute, the amount payable in respect of such damage shall be determined by a Magistrate on an application made to him in this behalf.