Mar. 4.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 737

effected at a pole. In every case of a through crossing, no
matter whose property the lines crossed through may be, the
method of carrying the electric-light wires across the pole, of
protecting them thereon, of preventing other wires from coming
in contact with them, and of protecting persons working on
the poles from danger of shock, shall be to the satisfaction of
the Minister of Telegraphs. The electric-light wires shall be
insulated with a triple covering of jute braiding thoroughly
compounded where they pass through on the poles and over
the whole length of the span on each side of the pole crossed
through. Where the insulated wires cross through on the
pole they shall be encased in some approved hard protecting
substance for the entire length of the arms on such pole. If
metal pipe is used to encase the wires it shall be effectively
earthed.

Where electric lines and telegraph lines intersect, 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.

Where low-pressure lines and telegraph lines intersect, the
former shall be insulated with weatherproofed insulation or
rubber as prescribed in clause 8.

Where deemed necessary efficient guard-wires, effectively
earthed, shall be erected in a manner to meet with the ap-
proval 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 Council shall bear the expense of such guard-wires in
all cases where an electric line intersects any telegraph line
previously existing.

The cost of all necessary guard-wires and special pro-
visions required to comply with this clause, or deemed to be
necessary as a protection to telegraph or telephone wires
generally, shall be borne by the Council when the telegraph
lines are erected before the electric lines. In other cases the
Council, on receipt of notice from the local officer of the
Telegraph Department that it is proposed to run a telegraph
line along the route, shall forthwith make the necessary
changes required to comply with this clause at any points at
which electric lines already cross such routes.

Earth-wires.

14. Earth-wires, where led down poles, shall be protected
    by a casing for a distance of 8 ft. from the ground. A test
    shall be made every three months, and oftener if required,
    of all earths, to ensure that the earth-wire is intact and that
    the earth is effective.

Railway Crossings.

15. No work of any nature shall be erected or constructed
    in pursuance of this license upon, over, or under any part of
    the Government railways until the Council has obtained the
    consent of the Minister of Railways thereto, as required by
    section 4 of the Government Railways Amendment Act, 1910
    (No. 2).

Service Connections.

16. Service connections from aerial lines shall be taken
    direct from insulators, and shall not be tapped off between
    insulators. They shall be led as directly as possible to insu-
    lators 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 aerial line which is outside a building,
and is within 7 ft. from any part of the building, shall be
rubber-insulated.

Arc Lamps.

17. All arc lamps shall be so guarded as to prevent pieces of
    ignited carbon or broken glass falling from them, and shall
    not be used in situations where there is any danger of the
    presence of explosive dust or gas.

Arc lamps used in any street for public lighting shall be so
fixed as not to be in any part at a less height then 10 ft. from
the ground.

Arc lamps used in any street for private lighting shall be
so fixed as not to be in any part at a less height than 8 ft.
from the ground, and shall be so screened as to prevent risk
of contact with persons.

Arc lamps must be insulated from earth, and be fixed so
that they cannot swing into contact with any substance,
metallic or otherwise, that might connect them to earth.
They may be run in series, and at any available voltage up
to 460 volts. Resistances for the regulation of arc lamps, if
exterior to the lamp, shall be mounted on incombustible
bases, shall be so placed that they cannot by conduction or
radiation set fire to any contiguous materials, and shall be
of ample size to safely carry the maximum current that will
normally flow through them. Each arc-lamp circuit shall be
provided with a fuse on each pole. Interior arc lamps shall
also be provided with a switch on each circuit.

Maintenance.

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

Lightning-arresters.

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

Underground Conductors.

20. 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 9 in. from the surface of the pavement. Where laid
    under any other part of the street such cover shall be in-
    creased to 2 ft.

All conduits, pipes, casings, and street boxes used as re-
ceptacles 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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
    pressure 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 Chief
    Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department at Wel-
    ington.

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 and forward a report thereof at the
end of each month to the Chief Electrical Engineer of the
Public Works Department at Wellington. Provided that
where any part of any electric circuit is connected with earth,
the provisions of this regulation shall not apply to that part
of that circuit so long as the connection with earth exists.

Continuity of Supply.

24. From and after the time when the Council commences
    to supply energy in pursuance of this license it shall maintain
    continuously sufficient power for the use of all the consumers
    for the time being entitled to be supplied; provided also that,
    for any purposes connected with the efficient working of the
    undertaking, the Minister may give permission to the Council
    to discontinue the supply at such intervals of time and for
    such periods as he may think expedient. When the supply
    is so discontinued public notice shall be given, when practic-
    able, of such discontinuance and of the probable duration
    thereof.

Supply to Consumers.

25. 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.