2042

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

[No. 59

(a.) Plain language is that which offers intelligible sense in one or more of the languages authorised for international telegraphic correspondence, viz., Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, and Spanish. Between Australia and New Zealand the Japanese language, expressed in English characters, guaranteed to be without secret meaning, is accepted as plain language. By “telegrams in plain language” is understood those of which the text is entirely written in plain language. Nevertheless, the presence of commercial marks, of abbreviated expressions currently used in ordinary or commercial correspondence, as “fob,” “cif,” “caf,” “svp,” or any other analogous expression the acceptance of which rests with the country of origin, does not alter the character of a telegram in plain language.

(b.) Code language is that which is composed of words not forming intelligible phrases but capable of pronunciation in any of the admitted languages. Words in code language must not be longer than ten characters according to the Morse alphabet. Those formed by the union of two or more words in plain language contrary to usage are not admitted.

(c.) Cipher language is that which is formed—
First, either of Arabic figures having a secret meaning, or of letters, groups or series of letters, having a secret meaning.
Secondly, of words, names, expressions, or combinations of letters not fulfilling the conditions of plain language (clause 5, a), or of code language (clause 5, b).

6. The mixture in the text of the same telegram of figures and of letters having a secret meaning is not admitted.

7. The groups of letters contemplated in clause 5 (a) are not considered as having a secret meaning.

8. A telegram consisting merely of the address—i.e., without text—may be accepted for transmission, but a text formed entirely of one or more signs of punctuation is not admitted.

9. The telegram to be transmitted must be legibly written in characters which have their equivalents in the official table of telegraph signals. The name of the sender may be transmitted either in full or in an abbreviated form, or if so desired need not be transmitted; but the sender or his representative must sign his name at the foot or on the back of the telegram form, adding, if required, his address.

10. The different parts forming the telegram must be written in the following order: (1) Supplementary instructions, (2) address, (3) text, (4) signature.

11. The sender of a private telegram is bound to prove his identity when requested to do so by the office of origin. He has, on his part, the right of including in his telegram the legalisation of his signature in such a manner as is prescribed by the laws of the country of origin. He may have the legalisation transmitted either as written or by the formula, “Signature legalised by . . . . .”

12. The office verifies the genuineness of the legalisation. Except when the signature is known to it, the office can only regard it as authentic if it bears the seal or stamp of the certifying authority. Otherwise, it must refuse to accept or transmit the legalisation.

13. The legalisation, as transmitted, is counted in the number of words charged for. It is placed after the signature of the telegram.

14. Any instructions the sender may wish to give relative to delivery, prepayment of reply, acknowledgment of receipt, &c., must be written immediately before the address of the telegram, and be charged for. These instructions may be written in the abbreviated form shown below, when they will be, respectively, charged for as one word, namely:—

= D = for Urgent. = XP = for Express paid.
= RPx = „ Reply paid, x words. = XP fr. x = „ Express paid, x francs.
= RPDx = „ Reply paid urgent, x words. = XPT = „ Telegraph express paid.
= TC = „ Collated. = XPP = „ Express-paid letter.
= PC = „ Telegram with telegraphic = RO = „ To be delivered open.
acknowledgment of receipt. = MP = „ To be delivered to addressee only.
= PCD = „ Telegram with urgent tele- = J = „ Day.
graphic acknowledgment = TR = „ Telegraph restante.
of receipt. = GP = „ Post restante.
= PCP = „ Telegram with postal ac- = GPR = „ Post restante registered.
knowledgment of receipt. = TMx = „ Telegram with x addresses.
= FS = „ To follow. Communicate all addresses.
= PR = „ Post registered.

The sender of a multiple telegram must insert these instructions before the address of each addressee to whom they apply, but in the case of an urgent or collated multiple telegram it will be sufficient if the instructions relative to urgency or collation be written once only before the first address.

15. The address of a telegram must contain at least two words, the first designating the addressee, the second indicating the terminal telegraph office.

16. The address must contain all particulars necessary to insure delivery of the telegram to the addressee without search or request for further information. For large towns the name of the street and number must be given, or, failing this information, the profession of the addressee or other particulars calculated to be of use must be given.

17. The name of the office of destination in the address of a telegram, if written in accordance with the entry in the first column of the Official Nomenclature, is counted as one word. When the name of the office of destination has not yet been published in the Official Nomenclature, the name of the country or territorial subdivision must be given. This is also the case for offices of the same name whenever doubt may arise as to the direction to be given to telegrams until publication of the next edition of the Official Nomenclature in which these offices are to be distinguished from each other.