Feb. 16.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 303

(b) A tractor with one trailer attached thereto shall be deemed to form one heavy motor-vehicle, and each additional trailer after one attached to a tractor shall be deemed to be a separate heavy motor-vehicle.

(4) For the purposes of these regulations, in the computation of the load of heavy motor-vehicles engaged in the carriage of passengers, fifteen persons shall be deemed to weigh one ton, and in computing the number of persons the driver shall be included: Provided that in the case of a heavy motor-vehicle used for the carriage of school-children and their teachers, and for no other purpose, thirty school-children shall be deemed to weigh one ton, and each teacher and driver shall be deemed to weigh one-fifteenth of a ton.

(5) For the purpose of general interpretation thereof under section 7 of the Acts Interpretation Act, 1924, these regulations shall be deemed to be made under the Public Works Act, 1928.

2. CLASSIFICATION OF HEAVY MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Heavy motor-vehicles shall consist of the following classes:—

3. TIRES.

(1) “Tire” for the purposes of this regulation means a tire other than a pneumatic tire.

(2) No heavy motor-vehicle tire shall be of a less width than 3 in.

(3) The minimum width of any tire used on any heavy motor-vehicle shall be such that the intensity of pressure of such tire on the surface of the highway resulting from the weight of the heavy motor-vehicle, together with the maximum load it is licensed to carry, shall not exceed the following:—

400 lb. per inch of width of tire for tires up to and including 5 in. in width:

600 lb. per inch of width of tire for tires more than 5 in. but not more than 6 in. in width:

700 lb. per inch of width of tire for tires more than 6 in. but not more than 7 in. in width:

800 lb. per inch of width of tire for tires more than 7 in. in width.

(4) Twin or dual tires shall for the purpose of width be deemed to be a single tire having a width equal to the sum of the widths of both tires.

(5) The thickness of any rubber tire on any wheel of any heavy motor-vehicle shall be not less than the following:—

1 in. for any tire not more than 5 in. in width:

1⅜ in. for any tire more than 5 in. but not more than 8 in. in width:

1¼ in. for any tire more than 8 in. in width.

Such thickness shall be measured from the outer circumference of the flange when the rubber tire is on a flanged band, and from the outer surface of the bonding material when the band is not flanged.

(6) No person shall operate any heavy motor-vehicle having tires of a less thickness than those hereinbefore prescribed.

(7) No person shall operate any heavy motor-vehicle fitted with a super-resilient tire if the tire is worn to such an extent that it has lost its qualities of extra resilience.

(8) The tire of each wheel of a heavy motor-vehicle, if such tire is not of a soft or elastic material, shall be smooth, and shall, where the tire touches the surface of the road or other base whereon the heavy motor-vehicle moves or rests be flat: Provided that the edges of the tire may be bevelled or rounded to the extent in the case of each edge of not more than half an inch, measured as the shortest straight line across the width of the surface of the bevelled or rounded portion: Provided also that if the tire is constructed of or faced with separate plates the plates may be separated by parallel spaces which shall be disposed throughout the outer surface of the tire so that nowhere shall the aggregate extent of the space or spaces in the course of a straight line drawn horizontally across the circumference of the wheel exceed one-eighth part of the width of the tire.

(9) Save with the precedent consent in writing of the controlling authority, which may be subject to such conditions as the controlling authority thinks fit to impose, no person shall operate any heavy motor-vehicle having any tire which, if not of a soft or elastic material, is not smooth and flat (to the extent aforesaid and subject to the foregoing proviso), or which, if constructed of or faced with separate plates, has spaces greater than the spaces hereinbefore prescribed, or which is fitted with lugs, cleats, or any other projections similarly intended to aid the tractive effect. “Tire” in this clause includes a self-laying track.

4. CLASSIFICATION OF ROADS.

(1) (a) The Minister of Public Works in respect of any Government road, and the Main Highways Board in respect of any main highway under its control, and the local authority having control of any other road or main highway in respect of that road, may declare that such road belongs to some one of the following classes, namely—

Class Two: Available for the use thereon of any heavy motor-vehicle (other than a multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle) which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 8 tons, or any multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 12 tons:

Class Three: Available for the use thereon of any heavy motor-vehicle (other than a multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle) which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 6½ tons, or any multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 10 tons:

Class Four: Available for the use thereon of any heavy motor-vehicle (other than a multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle) which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 4½ tons, or any multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 6½ tons:

Class Five: Available for the use thereon of any heavy motor-vehicle (other than a multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle) which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 3 tons, or any multi-axled heavy motor-vehicle which with the load it is carrying weighs not more than 4½ tons.

(b) If within one month after it has been requested in writing by the Main Highways Board so to do, the local authority having the control of any main highway fails to classify such road in accordance with the provisions of this regulation the Main Highways Board may so classify such road.

(2) Any road classified or deemed to have been classified under Regulation 7 of the Motor-lorry Regulations, 1927, as heretofore in force shall, if so classified as a road of the First or Second Class, henceforth be deemed to have been classified as a road of Class Two under this regulation, and if so classified as a road of the Third Class, Fourth Class, or Fifth Class, shall henceforth be deemed to have been classified as a road of Class Three, Class Four, or Class Five respectively under this regulation.

(3) The controlling authority proposing to make any such classification shall give public notice of the names of the road or roads proposed to be so classified and of the class to which it is proposed that each such road shall be declared to belong, and shall in such notice call upon any person objecting to lodge notice in writing of his objection and of the ground thereof at an address of the controlling authority to be stated in the public notice so given, and within seven days from the first publication of such notice. Such notice shall be given either—

(a) By publishing in some newspaper circulating in the district affected a notice in accordance with Form D in the Schedule hereto containing the particulars hereby required to be publicly notified; or

(b) By depositing for public inspection at the office of the controlling authority a statement showing the names of the road or roads proposed to be classified and the class to which it is proposed that each shall belong and publishing in some newspaper circulating in the district affected a notice in accordance with Form E in the Schedule hereto.