(1) Whenever a vessel is wrecked, stranded or in distress as aforesaid, all persons may, for the purpose of rendering assistance to the vessel or of saving the lives of the shipwrecked persons, or of saving the cargo or equipment of the vessel, 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, 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 in consequence of the exercise of the rights given by this section, shall be a charge on the vessel, cargo or articles in respect of or by which the damage is occasioned and the amount payable in respect of the damage shall, in case of dispute, be determined by a Magistrate on application made to him in this behalf.