THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 103

contents of any telegram coming to his knowledge in
his official capacity, save and except to the sender or
receiver of such telegram, under pain of incurring
the penalties laid down in "The Electric Telegraph
Act, 1865;" and no officer or servant shall communi-
cate to any other officer or servant the contents of
any telegram coming to his knowledge solely in his
official capacity, save and except for the transaction
or furtherance of the business of the department.

9. No officer or servant shall read or peruse any
   telegram confided to the care of the department
   unless in the discharge or performance of the duties
   connected with his official capacity.

10. No officer or servant shall be allowed to give
    any unlawful priority in the receipt, transmission, or
    delivery of any telegram, nor shall he allow any
    unlawful priority in the receipt, transmission, or
    delivery of any telegram, under pain of incurring the
    penalties laid down in "The Electric Telegraph Act,
    1865."

11. Officers and servants are bound in discharging
    their duties to carry out the regulations and con-
    ditions under which telegrams are authorized to be
    transmitted on the lines of the Electric Telegraph
    established or purchased by the Governor under
    "The Electric Telegraph Act, 1865."

12. Officers and servants are bound to protect to
    the utmost of their ability the property and interests
    of the department, and to render immediate informa-
    tion to the General Superintendent and General
    Manager of any damage done to the lines or
    property of the department, or any infringement of
    these rules and instructions which may come to their
    knowledge; and they shall prosecute and bring to
    judgment any person or persons whom they shall
    know wilfully to have violated or offended against
    "The Electric Telegraph Act, 1865."

13. Officers are expected to dedicate their whole
    time to the service of the department, and no officer
    of the Electric Telegraph Department shall be allowed
    to engage in any private business or commercial tran-
    saction, nor shall he engage in commercial specula-
    tions of any kind, nor shall he act as agent for any
    public or private company, nor for any private firm,
    or private individual whatever.

Gambling and betting by officers and servants of
the department are strictly prohibited.

14. Any officer entering the Instrument Room of
    any Station in a state of intoxication, or being found
    in a state of intoxication during his hours of duty,
    will render himself liable to immediate dismissal from
    the service, and forfeiture of all pay then due.

15. All officers and servants, whether holding per-
    manent appointments or temporary situations, shall
    sign the form of declaration of secrecy used by the
    department.

16. All persons wishing to obtain appointments in
    this department will be required to send in an appli-
    cation to the General Manager, written and signed
    by the applicant himself, accompanied by testimonials
    as to character and respectability, from two or three
    persons of known respectability.

Transmission of Telegrams.

17. The following codes are to be used in the trans-
    mission of telegrams, and are framed in accordance
    with "The Electric Telegraph Act, 1865," and the
    regulations and conditions published for the guidance
    of officers and the public generally :-

List of Codes and order in which they are to be used in
the transmission of Telegrams.

L. T.-Line Telegram: Which takes precedence
of all other telegrams, and is only to be used by
officers when communicating with the Telegraphic
Engineer and Electrician on faults or interruptions
occurring on the lines.

U. T.-Urgent Telegram; to be used alone in
cases of fire, accident, or death, where medical aid or
other assistance is required, or where accident or
death may be prevented.

This telegram comes next in order to L. T's.

G. T.-Government Telegram; to be used in
telegrams on the public service, being General and
Provincial Government telegrams, embracing Police
telegrams.

These telegrams come next in order to U. T's.

O. T.-Ordinary Telegram, and P. T.--Press Tele-
gram; these telegrams are to be transmitted as near
as possible in the order in which they are received at
the various Stations, and all precedence or priority in
O. T. and P. T. telegrams must be absolutely avoided.

These telegrams come next in order to G. T's.

S. T.--Service Telegram; this telegram is used by
officers when corresponding on the business of the
department, and should interfere as little as possible
with the ordinary business of the line.

When there is a press of business on the lines, or
when only one line is in working order, the following
precautionary measures are to be adopted in accord-
ance with Section No. 2 of the regulations and con-
ditions in the transmission of long Press telegrams.

The forwarding Station is not to keep the line
occupied for the transmission of Press telegrams for
a longer period than one hour at a time.

At the expiration of the hour, all O. T. telegrams
must be transmitted, bearing date of thirty minutes
delay.

Thus, if a Press telegram connected with the
English mail, arrive at 10 a.m. the line may be
engaged in its transmission up to 11 a.m., and at 11
a.m. the line must be given up for the transmission
of O. T.'s, and all O. T.'s must be transmitted bearing
date up to 10:30 a.m.

When these O. T.'s are cleared out, the line may
be again occupied for the space of one hour in trans-
mitting the Press matter.

On the expiration of the hour, say at 12:30 p.m.,
the line must be again given up for the transmission
of O. T.'s bearing date up to 12 noon, and as soon as
these O. T.'s shall have been cleared out, another
hour will be given for the transmission of Press tele-
grams, and so on throughout the day till all telegrams,
whether Press or Ordinary, shall have been cleared
out.

18. When two Stations are engaged in the trans-
    mission of a telegram, it is strictly prohibited for a
    third Station to intervene during the transmission of
    the said telegram; and no officer is allowed at any
    time to interrupt the working of the line by holding
    down the key, and thus throwing a current upon the
    line.

19. Disputes between Stations as to the possession
    of the line are strictly prohibited, and no officer shall
    knowingly take charge of the line while he is aware
    that another Station holds a telegram of prior code,
    namely: G. T., U. T., or L. T., or a telegram of an
    earlier date than his own, unless he be specially au-
    thorized through some extraordinary circumstances
    to transmit his telegram.

The rule is to leave the line for the prior telegram.

20. No officer is allowed to disconnect the wires
    or to change the connections at the testing boards of
    any of the Stations without a direct order from the
    Telegraphic Engineer, the Electrician, or their repre-
    sentative, except under the following circumstances.

21. When communication is totally interrupted
    with the Chief Station the officer in charge during the
    time of the interruption shall use his utmost endea-
    vours to keep open communication with as many of
    the Stations as possible consistent with fair working.

22. In the case of an interruption occurring on the
    line, the officer in charge of a Station shall ascertain