Nov. 2.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3303

(c.) When special attendance of switchboard or bureau attendants out of ordinary hours of attendance is required, then for each switchboard or bureau attendant called upon to make the necessary wire-connections: For every hour or less, 2s. 6d., in addition to the charges set forth in paragraph (a).

8. No free conversations on public service are permitted over long-distance circuits.

9. The long-distance circuits are: Dunedin-Christchurch, Wellington-Napier, Wellington-Auckland, and Napier-Auckland.

10. A long-distance communication is a communication made by telephone over one of the Morse (telegraph) circuits named above.

11. Communications under these regulations may also be obtained at intermediate offices on any of the above-named long-distance circuits or over a portion or the whole of any two of them if circumstances permit.

PRIVATE LINES.

CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LINE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED, SUPPLIED WITH INSTRUMENTS AND MAINTAINED.

1. Application should be made direct to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, for any information regarding the cost of construction and the conditions under which private lines will be constructed or supplied with instruments.

2. The erection of private lines is not permissible on telegraph or telephone poles, nor may such lines be connected with departmental earth-wires, except as specified in clause 3.

3. Private wires between places of business or other premises within towns where there are telephone-poles available, which in the opinion of the Secretary, General Post Office, may be used for carrying such private wires without detriment to the Department’s business, may be erected on such telephone-poles at the cost of the applicant, and maintained by the Department at the following rates, payable yearly in advance:—

For the first mile or fraction thereof, £2 per annum, and 10s. per annum for every additional quarter of a mile or fraction thereof.

4. If a private line or any portion thereof cannot be erected on any existing telephone-poles, and therefore necessitates the erection of new poles, then for such new line the maintenance will be at the rate of £4 per annum for the first mile or fraction thereof, and £1 per annum for every additional quarter of a mile or fraction thereof.

5. The applicant must use the line for his own bona fide business only, and must on no account, directly or indirectly, allow the line to be used for any purpose which might be construed as an attempt to defraud the Department of its revenue.

6. The Department may construct private telephone-lines on behalf of the owners, but will not license any person to construct his own telephone-line.

7. The construction of a line erected by its owner and at his risk is subject to the consent of the County Council, Road Board, or other local body; but such consent will not abrogate the claims of the Department to the right of road. Any private line interfering with the construction or maintenance of any departmental line will be liable to removal on the order of the Minister.

8. Private lines intended to be connected with a telephone bureau must be equipped with bridging-bell telephones supplied by the Department, the cost of which, including battery, is £5 each. Any other apparatus or material required for the construction of a private line may also be purchased from the Department, provided it can be spared by the Department and cannot be obtained from any dealer in such goods.

9. The Department does not maintain private lines or telephones constructed as indicated in clauses 6, 7, and 8.

10. A private line may be connected with a telephone-office at which there is no telephone exchange on the following conditions:—

(a.) The line must be led into the office under the supervision of a departmental lineman to a lightning-guard, switch, and telephone. The owner will be charged with the lineman’s time and expenses while engaged in the work.

(b.) The telephone at the telephone-office must be of the bridging-bell pattern if there is more than one telephone on the line, but it may be an Edison-Bell telephone if there is only one telephone on the line. It is furnished, together with the fittings, at the expense of the owner of the private line.

11. When a private line is connected with a telephone-office in charge of a permanent officer a switching-fee, to be paid in advance, of £1 10s. per annum for each telephone, is to be charged for switching the private line to another private line. The service of switching the private line to the bureau, and the transmitting and receiving of telegrams on the private line, will be given free of charge; but the usual charges for use of the bureau, and the cost of the transmission of telegrams over the public line from the bureau, must be paid.

12. Non-permanent telephonists may fix a fee to be charged for their services in switching one private line to another private line. Approximately the charge is about £1 10s. per annum per telephone, but non-permanent telephonists may charge only the usual bureau fees and the cost of transmitting messages for switching to a departmental line.

13. Where a telephone exchange has been established in a country town private lines may be connected with the same on the owners signing the prescribed form of application and paying the entrance fee of £1 and the charges set out in clause 14. Only one entrance fee is required for each line.

14. When a private line is joined up to a telephone-exchange connection, either through a subscriber’s wire or direct to the exchange by a departmental wire the rates in addition to the entrance fee shall be in accordance with those specified for exclusive and party lines.

15. The Department supplies a telephone free of charge to each subscriber, and, where necessary, an earth-plate, and, in the case of a long line, a lightning-guard; but these remain the property of the Department, and are not installed or maintained by the Department except at the expense of the subscriber and when the Department can conveniently spare the services of a lineman. Neither does the Department maintain any part of the private line. The Department will, however, supply material for renewing batteries, and will also repair or replace a defective telephone if it is sent in to the telephone exchange by the subscriber. Otherwise such subscribers have all the privileges of ordinary subscribers.

J. F. ANDREWS,
Clerk of the Executive Council.