Dec. 19.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

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CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH TELEGRAMS ARE ACCEPTED FOR TRANSMISSION TO PLACES BEYOND NEW ZEALAND.

Definition: Telegrams for places beyond New Zealand, except those for Australia, are described as International.

MODE OF WRITING AND ACCEPTANCE OF TELEGRAMS.

1. No responsibility is accepted for any delay or errors in the transmission of telegrams, or for the non-transmission or non-delivery of telegrams from whatever cause arising. Every care, however, will be taken throughout to ensure speedy and accurate transmission and delivery.

2. In order to guard against mistakes, attention is called to the great importance of legible writing. Every interlineation, reference, erasure, or alteration must be authenticated by the sender or his representative.

3. To provide against errors in transmission, telegrams may be repeated at the sender’s request by being signalled back from office to office. One-quarter of the usual rate for transmission will be charged for such repetition.

4. Priority of transmission and delivery at destination may be obtained by writing the word “=Urgent=” or “=D=” before the address. Urgent telegrams, however, do not take precedence in America, on the Atlantic cables, or in Great Britain or India. For urgent cablegrams the charge is three times that of the ordinary rate, and the word “=Urgent=” is charged for. Telegrams may be accepted “Urgent New Zealand lines” only, in which case two inland rates as given under the heading “Table of Rates” will be charged.

5. Telegrams may be composed of either plain or secret language (except to countries which do not admit private telegrams in secret language), the latter being subdivided into code and cipher.

(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, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, and Spanish. Cable messages in Japanese may be accepted under the conditions governing the acceptance of messages in plain language provided that the words are expressed in English characters and an assurance is given by the person presenting the cable message that the words contain no secret meaning. The sender must also be informed that such messages are accepted only at “Sender’s Risk,” and may possibly be challenged by other Administrations. 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.