(1)The 4[Government] shall appoint some officer or body of persons to be conservator of every port subject to this Act.
(2)Subject to any direction by the 4[Government] to the contrary,—
(a)in ports where there is a port-officer, the port-officer shall be the conservator;
(b)in ports where there is no port-officer, but where there is a harbour-master, the harbour-master shall be the conservator.
(3)Where the harbour-master is not conservator, the harbour-master and his assistants shall be subordinate to, and subject to the control of, the conservator.
(4)The conservator shall be subject to the control of the 4[Government], or of any intermediate authority which 5[the Government] may appoint.