road whenever such becomes necessary. Any private telephone line interfering with the
construction or maintenance of any departmental line will be liable to removal on the
order of the Minister of Telegraphs.

31. The written consent to the erection of a line, of each local body concerned,
    must be obtained by the applicant in the proper space upon the printed application
    form before the form is forwarded to the District Telegraph Engineer.

32. A sketch showing the locality and route of the proposed line must accompany
    each application. If a freehand sketch does not make the position clear, a suitable
    map or maps should be obtained from the Lands and Survey Department.

33. Every point where the proposed private telephone line will cross telegraph
    lines, electric light and power lines, railway lines or railway track, must be shown on the
    plan, and be mentioned on the application form.

34. Private telephone lines must not be used by any person or persons for hire or
    profit, or for any purpose which might be construed as an attempt to defraud the
    Department of revenue.

35. One side of every road shall be deemed to be reserved for telegraph lines, and
    in running a private telephone line along a road where no telegraph lines exist the
    private telephone line shall be kept to one side of the road.

36. Except by permission of the District Telegraph Engineer, all private telephone
    lines shall be placed on the opposite side of the road to that on which any telegraph
    lines exist.

37. Where one side of a road is occupied by a telegraph line and the other side by
    a power line, a private telephone line may, subject to the written consent of the District
    Telegraph Engineer being first obtained, and to such conditions as he may deem
    necessary, be placed upon the same side of the road as the telegraph line.

38. When a private telephone line is erected across or over a road it shall not be
    placed so low as to stop, hinder, or interfere with the passage for any purpose what-
    soever along the road; provided that no stoppage, hindrance, or interference shall be
    deemed to be caused if the line is placed at a height of not less than 18 ft. above the
    crown of the road.

39. Where a private telephone line crosses over or under any navigable waters
    it shall be placed in such manner as not to hinder or obstruct the navigation of such
    waters.

40. Where a private telephone line crosses from one side of a road to the other the
    angle formed by the original alignment and the portion of the line crossing the road
    shall approximate as closely as practicable to a right-angle, and shall not exceed 135°.
    The crossing span shall be as short as possible.

41. Where private telephone lines intersect telegraph lines the crossing, wherever
    practicable, must be made at the telegraph pole at the cost of the licensee, and in every
    case must be made in such manner as may be considered necessary by the District
    Telegraph Engineer.

42. Where private telephone lines intersect electric lighting and power wires the
    crossing must be made in such a manner as may be considered necessary by the
    Department.

43. Where a private telephone line crosses the New Zealand Government Railways
    the minimum clearance above the rail-level shall be 18 ft.

44. No line of any nature shall be erected or constructed upon, over, or under any
    part of New Zealand Government railways unless it conforms with the Railway De-
    partment's regulations in regard to construction, and 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).

45. No person shall enter upon any land for the purpose of constructing or main-
    taining any private telephone line unless with the consent of the owner or occupier of
    such land or his authorized agent.

46. In maintaining, repairing, altering, or removing any private telephone line
    no unnecessary or avoidable obstruction shall be caused to the traffic along or the use
    of any road or navigable waters.

47. In cases of accident, and in emergencies such as breakdowns of lines, &c.,
    authorized officers of the Post and Telegraph Department, the Public Works Depart-
    ment, or of the Railway Department shall have the right to cut in by means of portable
    telephones on any private telephone line and make use of such line in the public interest.

48. Private telephone lines must be maintained by the owners in good order and
    condition. The Department may refuse to connect an inefficient private telephone
    line to any circuit owned by the Department, or may disconnect an inefficient private
    telephone line from any telephone office or telephone exchange.

49. For the purpose of ascertaining whether these regulations are being complied
    with, the Minister of Telegraphs, or any person appointed by him in that behalf, may at
    all reasonable times enter on the lands or premises used by or in occupation of the
    licensee.

CONSTRUCTION OF PRIVATE TELEPHONE LINES.

50. The following regulations are not intended to be a specification for the con-
    struction of a private telephone line, but are a statement of the conditions which
    must be observed in the construction and maintenance of private telephone lines
    generally.

51. Where conditions are suitable, a single wire may be erected for each circuit,
    the earth to be used as the return. In other cases two wires suitably crossed or trans-
    posed shall be erected for each circuit, to form a complete metallic loop, known as a
    metallic circuit. Where automatic exchanges are established, the full advantages of
    the system can only be obtained by erecting an approved metallic circuit.

52. The system best suited to the circumstances of each case shall be decided after
    consultation with the District Telegraph Engineer.

Poles.

53. Hewn, sawn, or natural-round wooden poles may be generally used for private
    telephone line construction. Of the more easily procured local timbers totara, silver-
    pine, and puriri are among the most durable in the ground.

54. In bush districts, where the length of life of a pole is not an important con-
    sideration, almost any class of sapling may be used as a pole.

55. Timbers such as rimu, matai, blue-gum, &c., which are not so durable in the
    ground may be affixed to fence-posts or other suitable supports made of more durable
    timber.

B