JUNE 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2387

(c.) If the plant or mains of the Council are insufficient to supply the applicant with electrical energy the service may, with the consent of the Minister, be postponed for a period not exceeding twelve months; otherwise services shall be made within twenty-eight days of the application.

(d.) Every consumer within any part of the area included in the license shall be entitled to a supply of electrical energy on the same terms on which any other consumer in such part of the area is entitled under similar circumstances to a corresponding supply.

(e.) If the nature of the proposed consumption of energy by any applicant is such as is likely to seriously interfere with the maintenance of the constant pressure on the line in accordance with clause 22 the Council may, with the approval of the Minister, require the consumer to install such apparatus as shall enable the conditions of clause 22 to be complied with.

(f.) The Council may require services to be wired or installed by competent tradesmen, but no preference shall be given to services wired or installed by any individual contractor or firm of contractors.

(g.) The charge for electrical energy shall not exceed 1s. per unit for lighting purposes and 6d. per unit for motor-power, heating, or cooking purposes, provided that “lighting purposes” shall include the operation of motor generators for lighting purposes.

(h.) No meter rent shall be charged, but a minimum charge may be made monthly, independent of the consumption, not exceeding 2s. 6d. per K.W. or part of a K.W. of maximum capacity of each service. Where more than one meter is required to be installed in one building each meter shall, for the purpose of this clause, be considered an independent service.

(i.) If payment by any consumer is delayed more than thirty days after the date of rendering a correct account the supply of electricity to such premises may be cut off without notice, and need not be restored until all arrears are paid.

Service Connections.

44. The Council shall be responsible for all electric lines or wires, fittings, and apparatus belonging to it or under its control which may be upon a consumer’s premises being maintained in a safe condition and in all respects fit for supplying energy.

In delivering the energy to a consumer’s terminals the Council shall exercise all due precautions so as to avoid risk of causing fire on the premises.

A suitable safety-fuse or other automatic circuit-breaker shall be inserted in each service line within a consumer’s premises as close as possible to the point of entry, and contained within a suitable locked or sealed receptacle of fire-proof construction.

All electric wires and apparatus on a consumer’s premises, except such parts as require to be earthed, shall be highly insulated and suitable for the voltage at which the supply is given. They shall be thoroughly protected against injury to the insulation or access of moisture. All electric wires shall be so fixed and protected as to prevent the possibility of electrical discharge to any adjacent metallic substance.

The maximum working current in any conductor shall not exceed 1,000 amperes per square inch of section.

Installation on Consumers’ Premises.

45. The Council shall not connect the wires and fittings on a consumer’s premises with its mains, or in the case of premises already connected continue the supply from its mains, unless it is reasonably satisfied that the requirements of this license are complied with, that the wiring and fittings are suitable for the voltage at which supply is given, that the installation generally is in accordance with the requirements of good practice, and that the connection or continuance of supply would not cause a leakage from those wires and fittings exceeding one ten-thousandth part of the maximum supply current to the premises.

For the purpose of satisfying itself that the requirements of this license are being observed in so far as they apply to wires on consumers’ premises, the Council may require that notice must be served upon it of the intention to install wires, fittings, lamps, motors, or other apparatus on any such premises, and may inspect and test the same during any reasonable hours while the installation of such is in progress.

Testing Consumer’s Installation.

46. If the Council is reasonably satisfied, after making all proper examination on the completion of the installation, by testing or otherwise, that the wiring and fittings are not suitable for the voltage being employed, or that a leakage exists at some part of a circuit of such extent as to be a source of danger, and that such leakage does not exist at any part of the circuit belonging to the Council, or that any other requirements of this license are not being complied with, then and in such case any officer of the Council duly authorized by it in writing may, for the purpose of discovering whether the leakage exists at any part of a circuit within or upon any consumer’s premises, or whether the wiring is suitable and the general requirements of the license are complied with, by notice require the consumer, at some reasonable time after the service of a notice, to permit him to inspect and to test the wires and fittings belonging to the consumer forming part of the circuit.

If on such testing and inspection the officer discovers a leakage from the consumer’s wires exceeding one ten-thousandth part of the maximum supply current to the premises, or that the requirements of this license are not properly conformed to, or if the consumer does not give all due facilities for inspecting and testing, the Council shall either not commence the supply or shall forthwith discontinue the supply of energy to the premises in question, giving immediate notice to the consumer of its reasons for not commencing or for discontinuing the supply, and in either case supply shall not be given until the Council is reasonably satisfied that the installation is in conformity with the requirements of this license.

If any consumer is dissatisfied with the action of the Council in refusing to give, or in discontinuing, or in not recommencing the supply of energy to his premises, the wires and fittings of that consumer may, on his application to the Minister and on payment of the cost, be inspected and tested by the Inspecting Engineer. This provision shall be endorsed on every notice given under the provisions of either of the preceding paragraphs.

Motor Installations.

47. The frame of all motors supplied at 230 or 400 volts shall be connected to an efficient earth by a copper conductor, which shall not be less than 0·022 square inch in sectional area. All metal casings of switches, resistances, fuses, cables, and wires shall be efficiently earthed in a similar manner.

Every motor must be controlled by an efficient quick-break ironclad switch suitable to prevent arcing, and conveniently placed so that the person in charge of the motor can cut off wholly the supply from the motor and all devices in connection therewith.

Efficient fuses or other automatic cut-out must be provided to efficiently protect the conductors on each circuit from excess of current.

Every precaution shall be taken in choosing positions for and in the wiring and setting-up of motors and the necessary devices in connection therewith, so that there shall be no danger of fire being caused by their normal or abnormal action or of shock being sustained in the ordinary handling thereof.

Terminals of motors supplied at 230 or 400 volts must be so guarded that they cannot be accidentally touched or short-circuited.

The insulation resistance of each motor-circuit, including all devices necessary for the working of the motor, shall be not less than 1 megohm to earth when all metal parts that are required to be connected to earth are so connected.

A printed notice shall be fixed in a conspicuous position at every motor and switchboard forbidding unauthorized persons to touch the motors or apparatus.

Plans.

48. The Council shall, before erection or construction of any part of the work hereby authorized is begun, submit for the approval of the Minister such plans and other information showing and describing such work as he may require. In the event of the Council at any time desiring to make alterations to the work involving a departure from the type of construction shown on the approved plans, it shall submit for the Minister’s approval plans showing such type of construction as it is proposed to adopt, and with such approval the alterations may be carried out.

Notice regarding Extensions.

49. Before commencing the erection of any part of the lines hereby authorized, or the extension of any line already erected, the Council shall give at least seven days’ notice in writing to the Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department at Wanganui, and also to the District Engineer of the Post and Telegraph Department at Wellington, of its intention to carry out the work, and shall forward to the Minister a locality plan showing the route of any extension.