3502
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
No. 82

(3.) On receipt of an application for exemption, the Inspecting Engineer shall consider the same, and, if in his opinion it is frivolous or is based on trivial grounds, he may dismiss it without reference to the Minister.

(4.) The financial circumstances of the owner shall not be a ground for application for exemption under this regulation.

6. Every person who, for the purposes of these regulations, makes any statement or supplies any information that is false or misleading in any material particular, or who otherwise than in accordance with an order of exemption made under clause 5 hereof, uses for the purposes of a motor-omnibus service any motor-omnibus that does not comply with the provisions or requirements of these regulations, shall be liable to a fine of £10.

PART I.

Regulations applicable to all Licensed Motor-omnibuses.

Doorways.

7. (1.) There shall be fitted to each omnibus at least two doorways, one of which shall be situated at least 7 ft. distant from and, if not at the extreme rear of the omnibus, on the opposite side of the omnibus to the other doorway or the most remote one of any other doorways.

(2.) One of the doorways need not be used save in cases of emergency, and, if intended for use only in such cases, shall be fitted with a door (hereinafter referred to as the “emergency door”) kept securely latched until it is required to be used. The device for opening the emergency door shall be attached to the door-frame and, if a removable key, shall be permanently attached to the door by a chain fastened within 18 in. of the key-hole. The key-hole shall be situated not higher than 4 ft. from the floor. In omnibuses fitted with an emergency door a conspicuous notice directing attention to the emergency door, and clearly indicating the means for opening it, shall be displayed inside the omnibus, towards the front thereof. Every emergency door shall be kept free of all obstruction outside the omnibus.

(3.) A passage-way to the doorway or doorways in general use shall at all times be kept free and unobstructed, and if a passenger-seat is in the way of an emergency door the seat shall be readily removable in case of emergency.

(4.) At least once a week every door in the omnibus shall be opened and closed, and any locks and other parts thoroughly tested to ensure that the doors and locks (if any) are maintained in good working-order.

(5.) Every doorway shall be provided with a suitable non-slip tread-plate.

(6.) More than one emergency door may be provided in an omnibus, in which case the foregoing provisions shall apply to all such emergency doors.

(7.) A ready means of exit from the omnibus shall be at all times available for the driver.

Driver’s Protection.

8. (1.) There shall be no passenger-seat alongside the driver’s seat or with its centre nearer than 3 ft. to the steering-wheel rim or to any change-gear or brake-lever, unless the passenger-seat is divided from the driver’s seat by a permanent and transparent partition.

(2.) The driver’s seat shall be so situated that he can readily give prominent arm or mechanical signals for traffic purposes. Not less than 18 in. of space on each side of the centre of the steering-wheel from the driver’s shoulders to the floor shall be allowed for the driver, but portion of such space may be included in the passage-way provided for by subclause (3) of the last preceding clause.

(3.) There shall be no avoidable obstruction of any nature whatsoever on the omnibus which may interfere with the driver’s near or distant vision, whether in front or to the right or left. No passenger or person shall at any time be allowed to be in such a position on the omnibus that he interferes with the driver’s vision as aforesaid. Efficient means must be adopted to prevent interference with the driver’s vision through the front wind-screen by rain or the rays of the sun or otherwise howsoever.

(4.) A mirror or mirrors shall be provided so that the driver may have a view of the interior of the omnibus, and so also that he may observe traffic on the right and rear of the omnibus.

Liquid Fuel.

9. (1.) Not more than forty-six Imperial gallons of liquid fuel shall be carried on any one omnibus at one time, save with the consent of the Inspecting Engineer, to be given only in special circumstances and for temporary purposes. No liquid fuel shall be carried otherwise than in the permanent carrying-tanks.

(2.) The said tanks shall be properly constructed of durable material and shall be of ample strength for the purpose which they serve. They shall be so placed that any overflow shall not fall upon woodwork or be allowed to accumulate on the omnibus and the filling inlet for the fuel must be brought without a joint to the outside of the body of the omnibus, and be placed as far as convenient, from a constructional point of view, from any doorway or exhaust piping, being not less in any case than 2 ft. therefrom.

(3.) An aperture for the purpose of ascertaining the quantity of liquid fuel may be provided in that portion of the tank which is within the body of the omnibus. Such aperture shall be fitted with a securely screwed-in bushing, with a hole not exceeding 1 in. in diameter in the middle thereof, through which a metal depth rod shall pass. Such rod shall be permanently and rigidly attached at its upper end to a metal screw-on cap which itself shall properly and securely close the said aperture, except for any necessary air vent, while at the lower end of the rod there shall be provided a permanent stopper which will not pass through the said hole in the bushing, but will pass the tank aperture when the bushing is removed therefrom. The bushing shall not be removed save with the express approval of the Inspecting Engineer. The said aperture must be so situated that it will at all times, when the motor-omnibus is in use, be at a higher level than the filling-inlet.

(4.) The filling-inlet must be provided with a cap, which shall be tightly fitted in position immediately after the fuel has been supplied to the tank.

(5.) At the junction of each liquid-fuel supply-pipe and the tank there shall be a shut-off cock, readily accessible to the driver, for the purpose of turning off the supply of fuel from the tank.

(6.) No liquid fuel shall be supplied to the omnibus while the engine is running.

Brakes.

10. (1.) Every omnibus shall be fitted with at least two efficient independent brakes, one at least of which shall be operated by a pedal and each shall be capable of stopping the omnibus from progressing in a forward or rearward direction under all conditions of its service. For the purposes of this clause brakes shall not be deemed to be independent if operated by the same connections or levers, or if they act upon the same brake-drums.

(2.) Any brake which simultaneously applies the braking-pressure on two wheels or drums with a common axis shall be so designed or so fitted with a compensating device that the breaking effect is approximately the same on each road wheel. At least one brake with a compensating device, and exerting braking-pressure directly upon one pair of road-wheels (one on the off and the other on the near side), shall be fitted to each omnibus.

(3.) For the purpose of testing the brakes the omnibus shall be presented either loaded or unloaded, as may be required by the Inspecting Engineer.

Alterations in Omnibus or Route.

11. (1.) If the owner of an omnibus desires to carry passengers in that omnibus over any route different in whole or in part from that route on which the omnibus was used at the time of its last inspection by the Inspecting Engineer, the written approval of the Inspecting Engineer shall first be obtained.

(2.) No alteration shall be made in the design or construction of the omnibus otherwise than for fair maintenance requirements, nor shall any bulky equipment or fittings be added without the prior written approval of the Inspecting Engineer. Any such alterations or any substantial replacements made to an omnibus after the 31st day of May, 1927, shall comply so far as is considered reasonable by the Inspecting Engineer with any relative requirements of these regulations, whether contained in Part I or in Part II hereof.

(3.) On the presentation to the Inspecting Engineer of a motor-omnibus for inspection, a certificate signed by the owner shall be given with respect to any alterations made or proposed to be made in the route since the last inspection, and also with respect to any alterations in the brake mechanism or gear ratio, (including particulars as to the size and nature of tires) and in the general condition of the omnibus. If no such alterations have been made, a certificate to that effect shall be given.

Fire-extinguishers.

12. (1.) Every omnibus shall be provided with at least two suitable appliances for extinguishing fire. Such appliances must be either of the tetra-chloride type or some other type approved by the Fire Underwriters’ Association as suitable for motor-vehicle service, and must at all times be effectively maintained, and must be carried one near the front doorway, placed so as to be readily accessible from both inside and outside of the vehicle, and one in a readily accessible position at the rear end of and inside the omnibus.