JULY 9.

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

2723

damage from heavy traffic, and reasonable means shall be taken to prevent the accumulation of gas in such receptacles.
Where any underground line crosses or is in proximity to any metallic substance, special precaution shall be taken against the possibility of any electrical charging of the metallic substance from the line or from any metallic conduit pipe or casing enclosing the line.

EARTHING CONDUITS.

18. All metallic conduits, pipes, or casings containing an electric line shall be efficiently earthed, and shall be so jointed and connected across all street boxes and other openings as to make good electrical contact throughout their whole length.

STREET BOXES.

19. The covers of street cable-boxes shall be so secured that they cannot be opened except by means of a special appliance. Street boxes shall be either filled solid with cable compound or oil, or if not so filled shall be inspected from time to time for the presence of gas, and suitable action shall be taken to check its influx and accumulation.

INSULATION OF ELECTRIC MAINS.

20. Every main, either overhead or underground, shall be tested for insulation after having been placed in position and before it is used for the purposes of supply, the testing pressures being at least 500 volts; and the Council shall duly record the results of the tests of each main or section of a main, and forthwith forward a report thereon to the District Engineer of the Public Works Department at Wellington.
    The insulation of every complete circuit used for the supply of energy, including all machinery, apparatus, and devices forming part of or in connection with such circuit, shall be so maintained that the leakage current shall not under any conditions exceed one-thousandth part of the maximum supply current. Every leakage shall be remedied without delay. Every such circuit shall be tested for insulation at least once in every month, and the Council shall duly record the results of the tests.

SERVICE CONNECTIONS.

21. 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.

SUPPLY TO CONSUMERS.

22. The owner or occupier of any premises within the area of supply included in the license shall be entitled to a supply of electrical energy on the following conditions:
    (a.) If such premises are situated within 60 ft. of the boundary of any street in which an electric distribution-line belonging to the Council exists, the service shall be made free of cost.
    (b.) If such premises are more than 60 ft. distant from such street boundary, the Council shall run the necessary service mains for a distance of 60 ft. free of charge, and the consumer shall pay the cost of the service wires for the balance of the distance.
    (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 service 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, provided that a surety or deposit may be demanded, but such security shall not exceed the cost of connection.
    (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 a constant pressure on the lines in accordance with clause 3, the Council may, with the approval of the Minister, require the consumer to install such apparatus as shall enable the conditions of clause 3 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.) If payment by the 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. The cost of reconnection may also be included.

INSTALLATION ON CONSUMER'S PREMISES.

23. 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 is generally in accordance with the requirements of good practice, and that the connection or continuance of supply would not cause a leakage from those wires exceeding one ten-thousandth part of the maximum supply current to the premises.
    For the purposes of satisfying itself that the requirements of this license are being observed, in so far as they apply to wires on a consumer's 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.

24. 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 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 two preceding paragraphs.

NOTICE OF COMPLETION.

25. The Council shall, prior to the completion of the said works, or any separate portion thereof, give to the Minister at least one month's notice in writing of the estimated date of such completion.

CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY.

26. From and after the time when the Council commences to supply energy in pursuance of this license, it shall maintain continuously, during the period of the day for which it has agreed with any consumer to supply energy, sufficient power for the use of all such consumers for the time being entitled to be supplied; provided also that, for any purposes connected with the efficient working of the undertaking, the