2332
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 71

Fixing Rates and Charges for Connections with Telephone Exchanges and for Telephone Toll Communications.

Administrator of the Government.

ORDER IN COUNCIL.

At the Government House at Wellington, this 2nd day of August, 1920.

Present:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE ADMINISTRATOR PRESIDING IN COUNCIL.

IN pursuance and exercise of the power and authority vested in him by the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling him in this behalf, His Excellency the Administrator of the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand, acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, doth hereby make the regulations and fix the rates and charges given in the Schedule hereto for connections with telephone exchanges and for telephone toll communications; and doth order and declare that any regulations and charges of similar purport heretofore made are hereby revoked in so far as they are not in agreement with the regulations made and rates and charges fixed in the said Schedule, but that otherwise any such other regulations, rates, and charges shall remain in full force and virtue, and shall be read and applied together with the regulations, rates, and charges hereby made and fixed; and doth further order and declare that such revocation and the regulations, rates, and charges hereby made and fixed shall have effect on and after the first day of August, one thousand nine hundred and twenty.

SCHEDULE.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE CONNECTIONS.

Charges.

11. In addition to the entrance fee of £1, the charge per annum payable in respect of the hire of any telephone instrument connected with a Government telephone exchange is as follows:—

For an exclusive circuit,—

At exchanges which are open continuously—

Business establishments .. .. .. £8
Private residences .. .. .. £6

Or if not less than two-thirds of the business subscribers and not less than two-thirds of the private-residence subscribers at any time express in writing, addressed to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, their desire in that behalf

For each business and private-residence subscriber, at the rate of .. .. .. £7

Such expression as aforesaid shall be deemed to be operative until reversed by an expression of the desire of not less than two-thirds of the business subscribers and not less than two-thirds of the private-residence subscribers that the annual rates be £8 and £6 respectively.

At exchanges not open continuously—

Business establishments and private residences £6

At exchanges where the number of paying subscribers exceeds thirty and does not exceed fifty, and the hours of attendance are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, the charge is £1 per annum additional for each subscriber. In this case “subscriber” means each exclusive subscriber, and also each subscriber connected with a party line.

At all exchanges—

Additional exchange connections to the same premises, £1 per annum less.

12. The above rates are for business connections not exceeding half a mile, or for private residences not exceeding one mile, from the exchange. Business connections comprise warehouses, stores, shops, boardinghouses, or any premises which bear prima facie evidence of being utilized for business purposes or are advertised as such.

13. For every additional quarter-mile or fraction thereof up to three miles the charge is 15s. per annum; beyond three miles £1 per annum. If a special line of poles has to be constructed beyond three miles, the charge will be £1 5s. per annum for each quarter-mile or fraction thereof beyond the three miles; except that for the portion of the line for which the subscriber pays half cost of construction the charge will be £1 per annum for each quarter-mile or fraction thereof.

This regulation is to be read in conjunction with Regulations Nos. 14, 21, and 22 hereof.

14. Where subscribers pay the whole cost of construction beyond the three-mile limit the charge for such extension will be 15s. per quarter-mile, whether a special line of poles is constructed or not.

15. Temporary connections (for a period less than one year) will be granted, provided the applicant pays the net cost of giving the connection and a rental pro rata equal to 50 per cent. greater than for a permanent connection, with a minimum charge of 10s. for the first fortnight or fraction thereof and 5s. for every subsequent week. In the event of the temporary subscriber ultimately deciding to have the temporary connection converted to an ordinary permanent one the usual bond must be given, and the regular charges will take effect from the date of the completion of the bond. In such a case the cost of making the connection will be refunded.

16. Subscribers will have to sign a bond to hold the connection for one year for each two miles or fraction thereof of circuit wholly or partially provided by the Department. Thus, for a distance up to two miles, one year; over two miles and not exceeding four miles, two years; over four miles and not exceeding six miles, three years.

17. Extension telephones, not fitted for internal communication, are charged for at £1 10s. per annum each, in addition to the cost of switching-devices, material, and fitting. Extension telephones fitted for intercommunication in addition to exchange facilities are charged for at £2 10s. per annum each, except the annunciator telephone, the subscriber to pay the cost of the annunciator and of erection. The annunciator telephone is provided by the Department. An extension telephone is one which is placed within the same premises as that in which the original connection is placed.

17A. On payment of the undermentioned annual fee, and provided that the Department can conveniently make the necessary arrangements, an individual subscriber to, or each person of a party on, a party line connected with, or two or more subscribers whose lines are bunched at night for connection with, a telephone exchange that is not open continuously may, after the exchange to which he is a subscriber is closed, be switched through to another exchange that is still open.

Annual Fee.

Individual line .. .. .. £2
Two-party line (fee to include all persons of a party) .. .. £2 (minimum charge).
Three-party line (ditto) .. .. £3
Four-party line ,, .. .. £4
Five-party line ,, .. .. £5
Six-party line ,, .. .. £6

18. Printing additional names or designations in the telephone list in connection with the same number will be charged for at 5s. per annum for each additional entry.

Party Lines.

19. In cases where from two to six subscribers use the same circuit, the following charges will be made:—

Each, per Annum.
£ s. d.
For 2 subscribers, 1 mile or less from the exchange 4 10 0
,, 3 ,, 1½ ,, 4 0 0
,, 4 ,, 2 ,, 4 0 0
,, 5 ,, 2½ ,, 4 0 0
,, 6 ,, 3 ,, 4 0 0

Only one entrance fee is required for each circuit.

Where continuous service is provided—

For each party line, for four subscribers or less, £1 per annum additional.

For each subscriber beyond four, 5s. per annum additional.

For each business connection on a party line—

At an exchange open continuously, £2 extra per annum.

At exchanges not open continuously, £1 extra per annum.

NOTE.—Party-line rentals are based on the total length of circuit required to give the joint service.

20. Beyond the distances detailed above, the additional charges will be in accordance with clause 13.

21. The Department will extend any line, whether an exclusive or a party line, beyond the three-mile limit for a further distance of one mile for each subscriber on the circuit. If a line is required beyond these extended limits, the Department will extend the line for a further distance of one mile for each subscriber on the circuit, on the condition that the subscribers contribute half the cost of doing so. For any further extension, the subscribers must pay the whole cost of construction. Where the Department may have spare wires, either cable or aerial, the maximum distances specified may be exceeded to the extent to which such wire is available.

22. It will be optional for subscribers to erect and maintain their own lines beyond the distances for which the minimum charges are made.