July 12.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2371

CONDITIONS GOVERNING MEDIUM OR ANY LOWER PRESSURE, HIGH PRESSURE, AND EXTRA-HIGH PRESSURE ON SAME POLES.

156. Where medium or any lower pressure, and high pressure, or high and extra-high pressure, or all three systems, are carried on the same poles and supports the following conditions shall apply:—
     (a) The extra-high pressure shall not exceed 35,000 volts between phases.
     (b) The neutral point of each system shall be effectively earthed at its source of supply, and in accordance with Regulation 35 and Regulations 37 to 40 hereof. Each earth-connection for high or extra-high pressure shall consist of two independent leads to separate sets of earth-plates or pipes connected in parallel; or, if town water-supply pipes are used for earthing, the two independent leads shall be connected to the supply-pipes at two points not less than 12 in. apart.
     (c) The resistance of each earth-connection shall comply with the requirements of Regulation 52 hereof.
     (d) Medium, low, extra-low, or high pressure electric lines erected on the same poles as extra-high-pressure electric lines may in all cases be bare, unless the Minister otherwise directs.
     (e) The wires shall be placed as follows:—
     (i) No medium or lower-pressure wires shall be above the level of any high or extra-high pressure wires:
     (ii) No high-pressure wires shall be above the level of any extra-high-pressure wires:
     (iii) No medium or any lower pressure wires shall be on the same level as any extra-high-pressure wires:
     Provided that where lines cross any other separately owned aerial lines, in accordance with Regulation 120 hereof the whole sets of lines of each owner shall be kept together, and shall pass as a whole either over or under the other owner’s sets of lines.

TELEPHONE-LINES ON ELECTRIC-LINE POLES.

157. (1) Telephone-lines supported on electric-line poles shall be of wire having an area of not less than 0·008 sq. in. (1/·104 No. 12. S.W.G. 7/·036 or 7/20).
     (2) When the induced voltage on the telephone-wires exceeds 650 volts the telephone-lines shall be deemed to be high-pressure electric lines, and clearance between other lines and ground-level shall be provided in accordance with the relevant requirements of Regulations 113 to 131 hereof.
     (3) The minimum clearance between the lowest point of the span and ground-level of any telephone-line supported on electric-line poles shall be 18 ft. on any street and 16 ft. in any other place.
     (4) The telephone shall be suitably guarded against lightning, and shall be equipped with fuses.
     (5) If carried on poles also carrying high or extra-high pressure wires, such arrangement shall be made where the telephone is placed as will prevent the possibility of injury resulting to any person using the telephone as the result of a conductor coming into contact with the telephone-wires, or as the result of leakage or induction.

REMOVAL OF LINES.

158. (1) An overhead electric line (including a telephone-line) shall not be permitted to remain erected after it has ceased to be used for the supply of electrical energy or for telephone purposes, as the case may be, unless the licensee intends within a reasonable time again to use such line.
     (2) If at any time it is deemed by the Minister to be detrimental to the public safety for overhead conductors or any particular class of conductors to remain, the licensee shall at his own expense, upon receipt of a notification to that effect from the Minister and within such time as the Minister specifies in such notification, replace the overhead conductors by underground conductors.

UNDERGROUND CONDUCTORS.

159. Underground conductors shall be thoroughly insulated, and shall be protected from mechanical damage by steel armouring, wooden boxing, or earthenware, stoneware, concrete, iron, or fibre conduits or pipes. They shall be laid, wherever possible, under footpaths, and when so laid shall be provided with a cover of at least 9 in. Where laid under any place used by vehicles the cover shall be not less than 2 ft.

160. Except by permission of the Minister of Telegraphs, all underground electric lines shall be placed on the same side of the street as overhead electric lines, and on the opposite side of the street to that on which underground or overhead telegraph-lines exist.

161. All conduits, pipes, casings, and street-boxes used as receptacles for electric lines shall be constructed of durable material, and shall be of ample strength to prevent damage from heavy traffic; and reasonable means shall be taken to prevent the accumulation of gas in such receptacles.

162. Where any underground electric line crosses or is in proximity to any metallic substance, special precautions shall be taken by the licensee against the possibility of any electric charging of the metallic substance from the electric line, or from any metallic conduit, pipe, or casing enclosing such line.

163. Where any underground electric line is brought through the surface of the ground it shall—
     (a) Unless steel-armoured, be completely enclosed in an efficiently earthed metal pipe, or boxed in with hardwood or other timber approved by the Inspecting Engineer, for a height of at least 12 ft. above the ground-level:
     (b) When steel-armoured, be effectively earthed.

164. Electric lines placed in a tunnel or subway not in the sole occupation of the licensee shall be insulated, and protected by an earthed metallic sheath or enclosed in an earthed metal pipe.

165. When any high or extra-high pressure electric line is laid beneath the surface of the ground efficient means shall be taken to render it impossible that the surface of the ground, or any other electric line or conductor, shall become charged by leakage from the high or extra-high pressure electric line.

166. A high or extra-high pressure electric line shall not be used for the supply of energy before it has been completely laid, properly jointed, examined, and tested in accordance with Regulation 171 hereof.

STREET-BOXES.

167. The covers of street-boxes shall be so secured that they cannot be opened except by means of a special appliance; and such boxes shall be inspected by the licensee from time to time for the presence of gas, and suitable action shall be taken to check the influx and accumulation of gas.
168. Extra-high pressure electric lines shall not pass through the same street-box as other electric lines unless they are enclosed in strong metal casing efficiently earthed.
169. Street-boxes containing extra-high pressure electric lines shall not contain water, gas, or other services pipes, or electric lines belonging to another licensee.

EARTHING UNDERGROUND CONDUIT.

170. All metal conduits, pipes, or casings containing high or extra-high pressure electric lines shall be effectively earthed, and shall be so jointed and connected across all street-boxes and other openings as to make good electrical contact throughout their whole length.

INSULATION OF ELECTRIC LINES.

171. No electric line shall be brought into use until it has been tested for insulation by the continuous application for half an hour of the maximum pressure for which the electric line is to be used, and has withstood such application.
172. The insulation of every complete circuit used for the supply of electrical 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 not under any condition exceed one-thousandth part of the maximum supply-current. Suitable steps shall be taken promptly to locate such leakage and every such leakage shall be remedied without delay.

ELECTRIC SERVICE-LINES.

173. (1) Service connections from aerial lines shall be taken direct from insulators, and shall not be tapped off the aerial lines between supports.
     (2) They shall be led as directly as possible to insulators firmly attached to a position on the consumer’s buildings which is not accessible to any person without the use of a ladder or other special appliance.
     (3) Service mains shall not be brought out through the roof or attached to insulators fixed on the roof of a building.
     (4) Service mains shall enter the building as near as practicable to the point at which the service connection is first attached to the building.
174. (1) Service-lines shall on no account be run on bobbin or similar insulators attached to the exterior of a building. They may be carried on brackets attached to the building, provided that they are inaccessible from any portion of the building without the use of a ladder or other special appliance, and further provided that they are secured in such a manner that they cannot fall away from the insulator-support, or make contact with the building.
     (2) The distance between the last point of attachment of the service-lines and the point of entry shall not exceed 30 in.