Nov. 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3197

guilty of an offence, and shall be severally liable to a penalty
of £10 in respect of such offence, unless the offender proves
that all reasonable means were taken by him to prevent
such contravention or non-compliance.
(2.) Every person other than as mentioned in the last
preceding subclause, whether or not employed in or about
any oil-well, who neglects or wilfully violates any of the
special or additional rules established for such oil-well is
liable for every such offence to a fine not exceeding £5, or,
in default of payment, to be imprisoned for any period not
exceeding one month.

REGULATIONS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICITY.

Definition.

290. The expression “pressure” means the difference of
     electrical potential between any two conductors through
     which a supply of energy is given, or between any part of
     either conductor and earth as read by a hot wire or electro-
     static voltmeter, and—
     Where the conditions of the supply are such that the
     pressure at the terminals where the electricity is used
     cannot exceed 250 volts, the supply shall be deemed a
     low-pressure supply ;
     Where the conditions of supply are such that the pressure
     at the terminals where the electricity is used, between
     any two conductors, or between one conductor and earth,
     may at any time exceed 250 volts, but cannot exceed
     650 volts, the supply shall be deemed a medium-pressure
     supply ;
     Where the conditions of supply are such that the pressure
     at the terminals where the electricity is used, between
     any two conductors, or between one conductor and earth,
     may at any time exceed 650 volts, but cannot exceed
     3,000 volts, the supply shall be deemed a high-pressure
     supply ;
     Where the conditions of supply are such that the pressure
     at the terminals where the electricity is used, between
     any two conductors, or between one conductor and earth,
     may at any time exceed 3,000 volts, the supply shall be
     deemed an extra-high-pressure supply.

General.

291. All electrical apparatus and conductors shall be
     sufficient in size and power for the work they may be called
     upon to do, and, so far as is reasonably practicable, efficiently
     covered or safeguarded, and so installed, worked, and main-
     tained as to reduce the danger through accidental shock or
     fire to the minimum, and shall be of such construction and
     so worked that the rise in temperature caused by ordinary
     working will not injure the insulating material.
     All metallic coverings, armouring of cables other than
     trailing cables, and the frames and bedplates of generators,
     transformers, and motors other than portable motors shall,
     as far as is reasonably practicable, be efficiently earthed
     where the pressure at the terminals where the electricity is
     used exceeds the limits of low pressure.
292. Where a medium-pressure supply is used for power
     purposes, or for arc lamps in series, the wires or conductors
     forming the connections to the motors, transformers, arc
     lamps, or otherwise in connection with the supply, shall be,
     as far as is reasonably practicable, completely enclosed in
     strong armouring or metal casing efficiently connected with
     earth, or they shall be fixed at such a distance apart or in
     such a manner that danger from fire or shock may be reduced
     to the minimum. This regulation shall not apply to trailing
     cables, except when used for incandescent lamps other than
     those mounted on the motor.
293. Motors of rock-drills and such other portable machines
     shall not be used at a pressure higher than medium pressure.
294. No higher pressure than a medium-pressure supply
     shall be used underground other than for transmission or for
     motors, and shall then only be applied to transformers and
     motors in which the whole of the high-pressure circuit is
     stationary ; and the high-pressure wires or conductors, other
     than overhead lines above ground, forming the connections
     to the transformers, or otherwise in connection with the
     supply, shall be completely enclosed in a strong armouring
     or metal casing efficiently connected with earth, or they shall
     be fixed at such a distance apart or in such a manner that
     danger from fire or shock shall be reduced to the minimum.
     The machines, apparatus, and lines shall be so marked as
     to clearly indicate that they are high-pressure, either by the
     use of the word “Danger” at frequent intervals, or by red
     paint properly renewed when necessary.
295. The insulation of every complete circuit, other than
     telephone or signal wires, 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, so far as is reasonably practi-
cable, not exceed one-thousandth of the maximum supply-
current, and in the event of the leakage-current exceeding this
maximum suitable steps shall be taken at once to localize it.
296. In every complete insulated circuit, earth or fault
detectors shall be kept connected up in every generating and
transforming station to show immediately any defect in the
insulation of the system. These instruments shall be in-
spected daily by a competent person.
297. Main and distribution switch and fuse boards must
be made of incombustible insulating-material, such as marble
or slate free from metallic veins, and to be fixed in as dry a
situation as practicable.
298. Every circuit must be protected by a fuse on each
pole, except in the case of the earthed neutral wire of a three-
wire system, in which case the fuses may be on the outers
only. Every circuit carrying more than 5 amperes up to
125 volts, or 3 amperes at any pressure above 125 volts, must
be protected in one of the following alternative methods :—
(a.) By an automatic maximum cut-out on each pole.
(b.) By a detachable fuse on each pole, constructed in
such manner that it can be removed from a live
circuit with the minimum risk of shock.
(c.) By a switch and fuse on each pole.
299. Fire-buckets, filled with clean, dry sand, shall be
kept in electrical-machine rooms ready for immediate use in
extinguishing fires.
Except as hereinafter provided, no repair or cleaning of
the live parts of any electrical apparatus, except mere wiping
or oiling, shall be done when the current is on.
No departure from this regulation shall be allowed except
when a stoppage of the current is, in the opinion of the
manager, liable to involve danger. Such repairs shall be
carried out subject to the manager’s approval, and such special
instructions as he may issue.
Gloves, mats, or shoes of indiarubber or other non-con-
ducting material shall be supplied and used where the live
parts of switches or machines working at a pressure exceeding
the limits of low pressure have to be handled for the purpose
of adjustment.
300. A competent person shall be on duty at the mine
when the electrical apparatus or machinery is in use ; and
at such times as the amount of electricity delivered down
the mine exceeds 200 horse-power, a competent person shall
be on duty at the mine above ground, and another below
ground. Every person appointed to work any electric appa-
ratus shall have been instructed in his duty, and be competent
for the work that he is set to do.
301. No person other than an authorized person shall
enter a machine or motor room ; and no person shall wilfully
damage, interfere with, or, without proper authority, remove
or render useless any electric line, or any machine, apparatus,
or part thereof, used in connection with the supply or use
of electricity.
302. Instructions shall be posted up in every generating,
transforming, and motor house containing directions as to
the restoration of persons suffering from electric shock. All
employees working in connection with the electrical apparatus
shall be required to acquaint themselves with the instructions
in question.
303. In mines in the underground workings of which
electricity is used for power or lighting purposes, direct
telephonic or other equivalent means of communication shall
be provided between the surface and the shaft-bottom or
main distributing centre underground.
304. Previous to the introduction into any mine of elec-
tricity for power or lighting, notice in writing must be sent
to the Inspector of Mines. Notice must also be sent of any
existing electric power or lighting installation at any time
within three months after the coming into force of these
regulations.
305. A plan shall be kept at the mine showing the position
of all permanent electrical machinery and cables in the mine,
and shall be corrected as often as may be necessary to keep
it up to a date not more than three months previous.

Generating-stations and Machine-rooms.

306. Where the generating-station under the control of
     the owner or manager of the mine is not within 400 yards of
     the shaft or mine mouth or entrance, an efficiently enclosed
     locked switch box or boxes, or a switch-house, shall, where
     reasonably practicable, be provided near the shaft or mine
     mouth or entrance for cutting off the supply of electricity to
     the mine.
307. There shall be a passage-way in front of the switch-
     board of not less than 3 ft. in width, and if there are any
     connections at the back of the switchboard any passage-way
     behind the switch-board shall not be less than 3 ft. clear.
     This space shall not be utilized as a store-room or a lumber
     E