Aug. 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2407

STOPPAGE IN TRANSIT.

22. Should the transport of any live-stock be stopped by order of any Government official at any point either before, during, or after transit and whilst still in the possession of the Department in consequence of any breach by the consignor or consignee of any regulations concerning diseases of animals, or in consequence of any law or regulation prohibiting importation of such live-stock or the like, the Department shall, on receiving such order to stop, be taken and considered to have fulfilled its obligations to deliver the said live-stock, and may deal with the same accordingly. In such case the Department shall not be liable to make any allowance of freight paid, and the consignor or consignee shall not be relieved from his obligation to pay freight.

23. Special Rate of Charges for Understatements.

24. Where in any consignment-note, waybill, or other document required to be delivered in respect of any goods delivered upon a railway there is any understatement of the quantity, weight, measurement, or value of the goods, or any misdescription of their nature, which, if undetected, might lead to their being charged for at less than the proper rate; then in lieu of charges at the ordinary rate, and whether the understatement or misdescription is wilful or not, there shall be payable in respect of all the goods referred to in such document double the ordinary rate of charges on the whole consignment, and these charges shall be payable irrespective of any fine that may be incurred under subsection (1) of section 6 of the Government Railways Amendment Act, 1922.

25. Fodder for Show Stock and Racehorses.

26. Consignors of show stock may be allowed free conveyance of fodder sufficient for both the outward and homeward journey. Free conveyance is not applicable to fodder railed from the sending station for use in feeding the stock during the period they are on the showgrounds.

27. An allowance of one sack of oats and 56 lb. of other fodder for each G horse-box and two sacks of oats and 112 lb. of other fodder for each UG horse-box may be granted horseowners. The fodder must in each case be carried in the horse-box.

28. Miscellaneous.

29. All rates and charges payable in respect of goods and live-stock consigned to stations, platforms, or sidings where no railway Stationmaster is in charge must be prepaid. They will be put off at such places at the risk of the consignor.

30. In the case of consignments which by reason of their light and bulky character, or other circumstance connected with the nature of the goods, require the sole use of a truck for their carriage, the charges for same will be computed on a minimum weight of 15 cwt., except where otherwise specified.

31. Poisonous or injurious substances will not be received on the railways unless securely packed.

32. The Department may decline to receive broken, damaged, insecurely packed, or leaky packages.

33. Fibre-board containers for the conveyance of goods may be accepted as sufficient packing for the carriage by rail of packages having a gross weight not exceeding 65 lb., provided the packages are presented to the Department in good order and condition.

34. In the case of consignments of traffic of classes A, B, C, D, or E (rate and a half) the units of the consignment must be such as will not impose on the Department unreasonable work in handling the same.

35. The Department will not be responsible for loss of or damage to goods arising from their being insufficiently protected or packed.

36. Consignors shall make good all damage to trucks or tarpaulins arising from goods being insufficiently or negligently covered, secured, or protected by consignors.

37. When loading or unloading or tallying of goods is not done by the Department, no responsibility as to quantity or condition will be taken.

38. Except where otherwise specified, when senders who do their own loading, or consignees who do their own unloading, desire the Department to check and give receipts for goods in respect of which loading or unloading charges are prescribed, when such services are performed by the Department a charge at 9d. per ton will be made. Minimum charge, 9d.

39. Where cartage delivery of goods is performed by the Department, no package weighing more than 1 ton will be delivered, except under special agreement at special rates.

40. Wherever an alternative charge is specified, it is intended that the lower charge shall be taken, unless otherwise provided.

41. All goods chargeable on weight will be charged at actual gross weight of 2,240 lb. to the ton.

42. When goods are packed for carriage, the weight or measurement of the consignment will include the weight or dimensions of the case or packing used, provided that the charge shall not be less than for such case or other packing when consigned alone.

43. Except when inconsistent with the context or otherwise expressly stated “measurement” means cubic measurement. Whenever charges are based on measurement and are to be computed at a rate per unit of weight, such measurement shall be commuted into weight at the rate of 40 cubic feet to the ton.

44. Except where otherwise specified, a rate per truck refers to a four-wheeled truck, and except as aforesaid bogie trucks will, in computing charges at a rate per truck, be charged twice the rate for four-wheeled trucks.

45. Fractions of less than 1 cwt. in the tonnage will be taken as follows :—

Under ¼ cwt. as .. ¼ cwt.
Over ¼ cwt., but not over ½ .. ½ ,,
½ ,, ,, ¾ .. ¾ ,,
¾ ,, ,, 1 .. 1 ,,