146
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 3

Electric lines at low pressure shall be insulated throughout with triple braiding impregnated with waterproof compound; provided that, where circumstances permit, the lines may, with the consent of the Minister, be bare.

An aerial line shall not be permitted to remain erected after it has ceased to be used for the supply of energy, unless the licensee intends within a reasonable time again to take it into use.

SUPPORTS FOR OVERHEAD ELECTRIC LINES.

9. All aerial wires shall be attached to suitable insulators carried on cross-arms of suitable material and cross-section, and they shall be so attached to the insulators or guarded that they cannot fall from the support. Conductors covered with insulating material shall be so attached that their insulation shall not be impaired where they are secured to the insulator.

Every support for an aerial line shall be of durable material, and properly strengthened against forces due to wind-pressure, change of direction of line, and unequal length of span. The factor of safety of such supports shall be at least four (4) if of iron, steel, or reinforced concrete, and six (6) if of wood, taking into consideration all possible stresses, including wind-pressure at 30 lb. per square foot on plane surfaces and 18 lb. per square foot of diametral plane for cylindrical surfaces.

The distance between supports for distribution-lines within town-district limits shall not exceed 150 ft., except by approval of the Minister.

LOCATION OF OVERHEAD LINES.

10. Except by permission of the Minister of Telegraphs, or subject to an agreement between the Post and Telegraph Department and the licensee, all overhead electric lines shall be placed on the opposite side of the street to that on which any telegraph lines exist; and where the erection of the electric lines necessitates the alteration of any telegraph lines, and such alteration is approved by the Minister of Telegraphs, the cost of the alteration shall be borne by the licensee.

In running the lines authorized by this license through or along any street where no telegraph line exists the licensee shall keep to one side of the street, and in running wires to the opposite side of the street the licensee shall arrange so as to interfere as little as possible with the route of any future telegraph lines.

RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

11. No work of any nature shall be erected or constructed upon, over, or under any part of the New Zealand Government railways until the licensee has obtained the consent of the Minister of Railways thereto, as required by section 4 of the Government Railways Amendment Act, 1910 (No. 2).

POST AND TELEGRAPH WIRE-CROSSINGS.

12. At telegraph crossings the electric lines shall pass over or under the telegraph wires or cables as may be decided by the Minister of Telegraphs, and shall be at least 2 ft. distant. Where it is impracticable to cross above or below, the electric lines may be taken through; but when permitted to be taken through, the crossing shall be made at a pole in manner to be approved by the Minister of Telegraphs.

Where the electric lines intersect telegraph lines, the latter shall be suitably insulated if deemed necessary; and when the crossing is above and near a pole the spans on each side of the pole may be insulated. This insulation shall be effected at the expense of the licensee in cases where the telegraph lines existed previously to the erection of the electric lines.

Where lead-covered telephone cables are crossed above or below by electric lines the latter lines shall be insulated with not less than 600-meghom-per-mile grade of vulcanized rubber throughout the crossing-span, and in every such span the maximum tension in the wire shall not exceed one-half the elastic limit of the wire under the conditions of minimum temperature and wind-pressure specified in clause 8.

Where deemed necessary efficient guard-wires, effectively earthed, shall be erected in a manner to meet with the approval of the Minister of Telegraphs at all crossings or places where electric lines intersect telegraph lines, or at any place where such protection may be considered necessary.

The licensee shall bear the expense of such guard-wires in all cases where an electric line intersects any telegraph line previously existing.

Earth wires where led down poles shall be encased for a distance of 8 ft. from the ground.

ELECTRIC LINES ON TELEGRAPH POLES.

13. Where electric lines are permitted to be supported on telegraph poles all details of the supports and of the insulation shall be approved by the Minister of Telegraphs, who may, on giving to the licensee reasonable notice in that behalf, require the licensee to remove such electric lines at any time from such telegraph poles, and without payment of any compensation to the licensee.

SERVICE CONNECTIONS FACILITIES.

14. Where electric lines are on one side of the street and telegraph lines on the other, and service is required to be given from either to the other side of the street, the licensee and the Minister of Telegraphs shall give to each other reasonable facilities as far as possible to effect supply.

SERVICE CONNECTIONS FROM AERIAL LINES.

15. Service lines shall be taken direct from line-insulators to insulators supported and firmly attached to some portion of the consumer’s premises which is not accessible to any person without the use of a ladder or other special appliance. Every portion of any service line which is outside a building and is within 7 ft. of any part of the building shall be rubber insulated.

MAINTENANCE.

16. Every aerial line, including its supports, its conductors, and their insulating covering, and all structural parts and electrical appliances and devices belonging to or connected with the line, shall be duly and efficiently maintained by the licensee as regards both electrical and mechanical conditions.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTERS.

17. Where any portion of any electric line or support for an electric line is exposed to such a position as to be liable to injury from lightning, it shall be efficiently protected against such liability.

UNDERGROUND CONDUCTORS.

18. Underground conductors shall be thoroughly insulated, and shall be protected from mechanical damage by steel armouring or by wooden boxing or earthenware, stoneware, concrete, iron, or fibre conduits or pipes. They shall be laid wherever possible under the footpaths and with a cover of at least 12 in. from the surface of the pavement. Where laid under any other part of the street such cover shall be increased to 2 ft.

All conduits, pipes, casings, and street boxes used as receptacles for electric lines shall be constructed of durable material and they shall be of ample strength to prevent 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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 licensee shall duly record the results of the tests of each main or section of a main, and forthwith forward a report thereon to the Public Works Engineer at present stationed at Wanganui.

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 licensee shall duly record the results of the tests.

SERVICE CONNECTIONS.

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