FT.—44

18

(c.) If on any occasion the gas supplied by that company does not conform to the provisions of these regulations, or any order made thereunder in regard to purity : (■d.) If on any occasion the gas supplied by that company does not conform to the provisions of these regulations or any order made thereunder in regard to pressure : Provided that if the Gas Referees are satisfied that the deficiency is due to the insufficient size of the gas-mains, or to such other cause as may require time for its correction, the company shall not be liable hereunder if it lays the additional or larger mains or takes such steps to correct the deficiency as may be necessary within such time as shall be allowed by the Gas Referees. (2.) A company shall not be held to have committed an offence under this regulation in any case where it shows that the deficiency or failure was due to circumstances not within its control, nor shall a company be held to have committed more than one offence in any one day in respect of a deficiency in either calorific value, composition, or pressure of gas supplied from any one works. (3.) No prosecution shall be instituted under this regulation except with the consent of the Minister. 19. If in any year the average calorific value of the gas supplied by any company, ascertained in the manner prescribed by the Gas Referees, is less than the declared calorific value, a sum which the Minister shall determine to be as nearly as may be the amount by which the revenue of the company has been improperly increased shall be applied towards a reduction in the price of gas in the next year : Provided that no such reduction in the price of gas shall be made unless the average calorific value of gas ascertained in the manner aforesaid shall be more than 2 per cent, less than the declared calorific value. 20. If, on an appeal to the Gas Referees, they certify that the default of a company is not substantial or not due to the careless conduct of the company, or of their servants, no summary proceedings shall be taken in respect of the default. 21. All gas manufactured by any company shall be registered at the works by means of a station meter, or meters, before being delivered into the gas-holders. 22. All companies shall furnish to the Minister an annual return showing in cubic feet the volume of gas registered at the works during the year, and also the total volume registered by all consumers' meters. 23. No gas-meter by means of which gas is supplied by a company to any consumer shall be used unless it has been tested and stamped as accurate either in the country of origin, or in New Zealand, and the Gas Referees approve of the method of testing and stamping employed. 24-. A Gas-examiner, or an Inspector of Meters, shall have access at any time during working-hoirrs to any workshop belonging to a company where consumers' meters are being tested or repaired and may test or cause to be tested any new meters or any meters in stock, or any meters which have been repaired. He may also require the company to bring in and test meters which are in use, provided that the company be allowed such time as may be necessary to bring in and test such meters. In cases where a company has no meter-testing or repair shop the Gas-examiner may cause the company to send any meters to the nearest testing-place within New Zealand for testing and verification, and he shall have access to such place. 25. Any gas-consumer may, on application and upon payment to a Gas-examiner of one pound (£1) have his gas-meter tested. If the meter is found by the Gas-examiner or by an Inspector of Meters to be registering more than 2 per cent, in favour of the company, this amount of one pound (£1) shall be refunded to the gas-consumer. If the meter is found by the Gas-examiner, or by the Inspector of Meters, to be registering not more than 2 per cent, in favour of the company, the amount of one pound (£1) shall be paid over by the Gas-examiner to the company as payment of expenses of removal and reinstatement. 26. The Gas Referees shall have power to make rules regarding the testing of meters, and may determine from time to time the fee or fees which shall be payable by companies in respect of the examination and testing of meters. 27. (1.) Except- in so far as is provided in clause 8 hereof, these regulations shall apply to such companies only as are set out in the Schedule to these regulations : Provided that the Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette from time to time, make additions to such Schedule or may remove the name or names of any company or companies from such Schedule. (2.) Every company effected shall receive a notice in writing of such alterations or additions to the said Schedule. SCHEDULE. Tiio Auckland Gas Company (Limited). | The Christchureh Gas, Coal, and Coke Company (Limited). The Wellington Gas Company (Limited). Ihß The Dunedin City Corporation. APPENDIX C. [Extract from New Zealand Gazette, 12th February, 1925. Board of Trade Regulations.—Control of the Tailoring Trade :• Sale of Garments made to Measure. J. These regulations may be cited as the Board of Trade (Sale of Garments made to Measure) Regulations, 1925. 2. These regulations shall come into operation on the Ist day of March, 1925.