2404
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 58

PART VII.—GENERAL.

1. Definitions.

(a.) “The Act” means and includes the Government Railways Act, 1908, and its amendments.
(b.) “Department” means the Crown acting through that Department of the Government of New Zealand having the control of the Government railways open for traffic within the meaning of the Act.
(c.) “Officered station” means any station where a Stationmaster is in charge.
“Flag station” means any station where no Stationmaster is in charge.
(d.) Unless inconsistent with the context, “goods” means goods, luggage, parcels, live-stock, or chattels of any description, and includes live or dead animals.
“n.o.s.” denotes not otherwise specified.
“o.r.” denotes owner’s risk.
“d.r.” denotes double rate.
“r. & ½” denotes rate and a half.
“r. & ¼” denotes rate and a quarter.
“s.g.” denotes special goods.
“Dang.” denotes dangerous.

The expressions “double rate,” “rate and a quarter,” and “rate and a half,” and other similar expressions, mean that the specified rate is to be doubled or increased by a quarter or a half, or as the case may be.

2. Inspection of Goods.

The Department reserves the right to inspect any goods before receiving the same or while the same are in its custody, and for this purpose to call upon the owner to open out any package for inspection at the expense of the owner.

3. Owners’ Risk and Special Goods.—Insurance of Goods.

4. Goods classified in Part V at “owner’s risk” will, unless a request in writing is made and a receipt obtained and increased charges paid as hereinafter provided, be received, held, and carried at the risk of the owner, and will be charged at the rates ordinarily applicable to such goods as provided in this tariff. Consignors, may, however, have any such goods carried at the risk of the Department (subject to the provisions of the Act and the by-laws and regulations made thereunder) by delivering to the Department with the goods a request in writing that the goods shall be conveyed at the risk of the Department (which request shall, in the case of goods consigned, be deemed to be sufficiently made if the consignment-note relating to such goods is endorsed with the words “At Railway risk”), and by obtaining a receipt for such goods specifying that such goods are received for conveyance at the risk of the Department (which specification shall be sufficiently made by endorsement by the person giving the receipt of the words “At Railway risk” on such receipt), and in such cases the goods will be carried by rail at the risk of the Department (subject as aforesaid), and the charges, computed as provided in this tariff for such goods when carried at owner’s risk, will be increased by one-sixth.

5. Goods classified in Part V as “special goods” are hereby declared to be special goods. Any package or animal the value whereof exceeds £500 is also hereby declared to be special goods.

6. The liability of the Department for loss of or damage to special goods shall be subject to the following provisions:—

If the consignor of any such goods—
(a.) Delivers to the Department with such goods a declaration in writing of the nature and value of such goods (which declaration shall, in the case of goods consigned, be made on the consignment-note delivered with such goods); and
(b.) Requests in writing that the goods be insured with the Department against loss or damage during the transit of such goods over the railways to the extent of the value so declared; and
(c.) Obtains a receipt from the officer in charge of the station at which such goods are delivered to the Department for transit by rail specifying the nature and value of the goods so declared; and
(d.) Pays the charge for insurance as hereinafter provided. The maximum amount which the Department may be liable to pay in respect of damage to or loss of such goods during such transit shall be the value of the goods declared as aforesaid.

4. No person, unless he shall have made such declaration and request and obtained such receipt and paid such charges, shall be entitled to recover, for any loss of or damage to any special goods, any greater sum than £10 for the contents of any package in which any such goods are packed, £15 for any horse, £8 for any one head of cattle, £2 for any dog, 15s. for any one sheep, goat, pig, or other quadruped not otherwise specified, and 3s. 6d. for any bird.

5. A charge of 5 per cent. of the declared value in the cases of horses and other live-stock and 2 per cent. of the declared value in the case of any other special goods (with a minimum charge of 1s. in each case) shall be made for insuring the same. All charges on insured goods shall in every case be prepaid.

6. The value of each package, animal, or bird must be separately stated.