SEPT. 26.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2709

14. Gardens: (a) Water shall be used for private domestic gardens only by means of a hose, and only to such reasonable extent as may be required for the purpose of such garden. No such hose shall be allowed to run continuously.
    (b) Where such supply is not being charged for by meter the hose when in use must be held by hand.
    (c) If water is used in any such garden contrary to this by-law the Department shall have the power to install a meter, and charge according to the consumption as an extraordinary supply.

15. Fire hydrants: Special fire-hydrant connections may be taken off the mains direct to any private premises, and water shall not be charged for, provided it is used exclusively for the purpose of fire-extinguishing or fire practice.

16. Vacant buildings: (a) In every case where a dwelling, shop, office, or other premises remains actually vacant and unoccupied for a period of not less than three months continuously, and the person liable to pay for the supply thereto gives to the Department notice in writing that the premises became vacant and unoccupied and again became occupied on dates specified in such notice subject to the provisions of clause (b), such person shall not be liable to pay for supply during such period of vacancy or unoccupancy. No credit shall be allowed for any period less than three months, or for fractions of a month.
    (b) Written application for credit on account of vacant and unoccupied premises must be received by the local controlling officer within the period of the ordinary water-supply accounts immediately following the accounts period during which such premises became vacant and unoccupied—e.g., application for credit for unoccupied premises during six-monthly period ending 31st March must be received on or before the following 30th September. Full charges are due in respect of vacant and unoccupied premises for which application for credit is not received within the specified period.

17. Interfering with meters: No person other than an authorized officer of the Department shall remove or interfere with any meter or break any seal thereof.

18. Testing meters: (a) Meters will be maintained free of charge. If the accuracy of a meter is questioned by a consumer the Department will arrange for a test to be made, provided the sum of 10s. is deposited at the office of the local controlling officer. If such meter be found, after testing, to register within 5 per cent. of the quantity passing through it the meter shall be deemed to be correct, and the deposit aforementioned shall be forfeited.
    (b) If the meter is found to be incorrect, the deposit of 10s. shall be refunded and an adjustment will be made in the consumer’s account for six months only, on a basis of the average consumption during the preceding three corresponding six-monthly periods.

19. Work to be done by licensed plumbers: (a) No person other than a duly licensed plumber shall install any supply or connect any pipe with the waterworks, or make any alteration or addition or repairs to any pipe, tap, or other water-fitting.
    (b) Two days’ notice in writing shall be given by the licensed plumber of the day and hour he proposes to make any such connection, alteration, or addition, or repairs to the office of the Department’s local controlling officer, and permission be obtained therefrom before any such connection, additions, alterations, or repairs are put in hand.
    (c) Licensed plumbers shall be responsible to the Department for all injury done by them or their works to the mains or to any property of the Department.

20. Plumbers’ reports: All licensed plumbers shall furnish monthly reports for each calendar month to the Department’s local controlling officer of all new services, and all such alterations and additions and repairs carried out by them during the month.

21. Uninterrupted supply not guaranteed—Cisterns: The Department does not guarantee an uninterrupted supply of water nor a minimum pressure, and, in particular, no allowance or compensation will be made on account of the water being shut off for any cause. Consumers to whom a constant supply is of importance should therefore provide cisterns in case of such emergency.

22. (a) Cutting off supplies on emergency: In cases of emergency necessitating the reduction of the supply of water, the Department’s local controlling officer, on giving such public or other notice as may be possible, may cut off as many services as he may deem necessary for such period as is required, and no allowance or compensation shall be made on account of water thus being cut off.
    (b) In the event of any shortage, or possible shortage, of water, or threatened failure in any way whatsoever of the water-supply through circumstances unforeseen, the local controlling officer is empowered to restrict the use of the supply in any way he may deem to be considered fit and necessary to safeguard the interests of consumers and the community generally. No allowance or compensation shall be made on account of any such restriction in the supply of water.

23. Inspection: (a) Any person acting under the authority of the Department may, at any time, enter into any land or building supplied with water from the waterworks, to see if such water is being wasted or misused.
    (b) If such person is refused admittance or obstructed in such examination, the Department may stop the supply of water in any manner it thinks fit.

24. Notice of removal of pipe to be given: (a) Any pipe or other apparatus on any property may be removed after giving the Department seven days’ notice in writing of such intention, and of the time of such removal. Such work must be done by a licensed plumber, but the owner shall be liable for all damage done to any part of the waterworks thereby.
    (b) Disconnection of such pipes from and at the main shall be done by the Department only.
    (c) If any person removes any such pipe or apparatus without giving such notice he shall be liable to a penalty of not more than £20, and to pay for all damage done to the waterworks by such removal.

25. Penalties for offences against waterworks: If any person—
    (a) Wilfully or negligently allows any pipe or apparatus on his premises to be out of repair so that water is wasted, or alters any meter, or does or suffers any act whereby his supply of water is improperly increased;
    (b) Not having agreed to be supplied with water from the waterworks, takes any such water from the supply furnished to another person;
    (c) Being supplied with water from the waterworks, supplies another person who has not agreed to be so supplied with, or permits him to take, any such water;
    (d) Connects any pipe with a pipe of the waterworks, except in the presence of, or contrary to the direction of, the officer appointed by the Department to superintend the same, unless such officer fails to attend at the time named in the notice given as above mentioned (see By-law 19);
    (e) Connects with a pipe of the waterworks any pipe of a strength, size, or material not in accordance with these by-laws (see By-laws 9 and 10)—
    he shall be liable to a penalty of not more than £20 for each such offence, and to a further sum equal to the cost incurred by the Department in repairing the injury done to any part of the waterworks by any such act.

26. Agreement to pay water charges: (a) Every sum of money expressed in these by-laws to be payable for ordinary and extraordinary supplies shall be recoverable by the Department in any Court of competent jurisdiction as a debt.
    (b) Every person who, after the coming into operation of these by-laws, shall be supplied with water from the waterworks (whether such supply was originally granted before such coming into operation or shall thereafter be granted, and whether originally granted to such person or to some previous owner or occupier of the premises) shall sign an agreement in the form subjoined to these by-laws.
    (c) No new service (ordinary or extraordinary) shall be laid on until such agreement has been signed by the applicant for same.
    (d) Where any ordinary or extraordinary service shall be actually laid on (whether it was laid on before or shall have been laid on since the commencement of these by-laws) and no such agreement shall have been signed in respect thereof, the person supplied shall sign an agreement within three days after being required so to do by the Department’s local controlling officer, and in default thereof the service may be cut off.

Form of Agreement.

An agreement made between (hereinafter called “the consumer”), of , of the one part, and the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts of the other part. In consideration of the said Department supplying (or continuing to supply) the premises situate in Street, Section , Block , and known as , with an ordinary supply of water [or an extraordinary supply of water for the purpose of (Here state kind of extraordinary supply or otherwise describe the supply in question)] under Part XIV of the by-laws under the Rotorua Borough Act, 1922, the consumer hereby agrees to pay to the said Department all moneys expressed to be payable under the said by-law for the said service at the times and in manner thereby provided (or, where the charge is an agreed one, state the agreed charge, and the times and mode of payment thereof).
(2) The consumer further agrees that all such moneys shall be recoverable from him by the Department in any Court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due by him to the Department.