(1)Where in any proceeding before Court, a decree or order has been passed against any seaman while he was a serving seaman, the seaman, or if he dies while he is a serving seaman, his legal representative, may apply to the said Court to have the decree or order set aside, and if the Court after giving an opportunity to the opposite party of being heard, is satisfied that the interests of justice require that the decree or order should be set aside as against the seaman, the Court shall subject to such conditions, if any, as it thinks fit to impose, make an order accordingly, and may, if it appears that any opposite party in the proceeding has failed to comply with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 179, award, subject to such conditions as it thinks fit to impose, damages against such opposite party.
