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DEAFT REGULATIONS. TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. 1. Where a telephone exchange is established, the Department is prepared to receive applications from intending subscribers, subject to the conditions and regulations set forth hereunder, or any amendments or extensions thereof. 2. Every person desiring to hire any telephone instruments or set of telephones oonnected with a telephone exchange shall make application to the Secretary, General Post Office, on the form supplied for that purpose by the Department. 3. In addition to the tabulated rates, an entrance fee of £1 must accompany all first applications. Subsequent applications for additional connections to the same exchange will be exempt from the entrance fee, providing a, pre-existing connection is simultaneously held for one year after the date of the additional connection. 4. Subscribers at each exchange will be furnished with a list of persons with whom they may communicate by telephone, and as new subscribers are connected with the system from time to time notification of the fact will be given by the Department. 5. Tbe Minister of Telegraphs may refuse to connect with the telephone exchange any place of business, house, or premises which in the opinion of the Minister is or are used for any illegal, immoral, or improper purpose, and may, either with or without previous notice, exclude from the telephone exchange any subscriber who allows the telephone instruments in his custody or control to be damaged or destroyed, or put to any improper use, and may remove or cause to be removed any instruments allotted to the use of such subscriber. No person shall have any claim for damages or otherwise whatsoever in consequence of the refusal of the said Minister to oonneot any place of business or house with the exchange for any of the causes aforesaid, or in consequence of the removal of any instruments, or the exclusion of any subscriber as aforesaid. 6. All charges payable in respect of the hire of any telephone instruments shall be paid half-yearly in advance, but for distances over three miles the charges may, if desired by the subscriber, be paid quarterly in advance, the first payment to commence from the date when the connection with the telephone exchange is completed, and to oover the then ourrent quarter or half-year. 7. If such payment is not made within one week after demand, the connection with the exchange may be discontinued without prejudice to any proceedings for the recovery of any moneys then due or otherwise. 8. Telephones connected with exchanges are to be used on the business of the subscriber or that of his employees, family, or guests only. 9. No extra telephones, special instruments, or appliances other than those provided and maintained by the Department will be allowed to be used by any subscriber in connection with an exchange wire. 10. It shall be optional on the part of the Minister of Telegraphs to permit any premises of any public hospital, or public benevolent or charitable institution duly acknowledged as suoh by the Minister, to be connected with a telephone exchange at half the business rates (other than the entrance fee) as detailed in section 11. Such institutions will be required to bear the cost of any line-construction beyond 1 mile from the exchange in order to qualify for the reduced rental beyond the mile. Charges. 11. In addition to the entrance fee of £1, the charge per annum payable in respect of the hire for any telephone instrument connected with a Government telephone exhange is as follows :— For an exclusive circuit, — Per Annum. At exchanges which are open continuously— £ Business establishments .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Private residences .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Or if two-thirds of the total number of subscribers at any time express in writing, addressed to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, their desire in that behalf For each subscriber at the rate of .. .. .. .. .. 6 Such expression as aforesaid shall be deemed to be operative until reversed by an expression of the desire of at least two-thirds of the subscribers that the annual rates be £7 and £5 respectively. At exchanges which are not open continuously— Business establishments and private residences .. .. 5 Additional exchange connections to the same premises, £1 per annum less. 12. The above rates are for business connections not exceeding or for private residences not exceeding 1 mile, from the exchange. Business connections comprise warehouses, stores, shops, or any premises which bear prima facie evidence of being utilized for business purposes or are advertised as such. 13. On existing lines, for every additional |-mile or fraotion thereof up to 3 miles, the charge is 10s. per annum ; beyond 3 miles, 15s. per annum. If a special line of poles has to be erected beyond 3 miles, the charge will be £1 per annum for each J-mile or fraction thereof beyond the 3 miles. For maximum distances over whioh lines will be erected by the Department see section 22. 11. Extension telephones, not fitted for internal'communication, are charged for at £1 per annum each, in addition to the cost of switching-devices, material, and fitting. Extension telephones fitted for intercommunication, in addition to exchange facilities, are charged for at £2 per annum each, except the annunciator telephone, the subscriber to pay the cost of the annunciator and of erection. The annunciator telephone is provided by tbe Department. An extension telephone is one which is placed within the same premises as that in which tbe original connection is placed. 15. Subscribers will have to sign a bond to hold the connection for 1 year for each 2 miles or fraction thereof of circuit wholly provided by the Department. Thus, for a distance up to 2 miles, 1 year ; over 2 miles and not exceeding 4 miles, 2 years ; over 4 miles and not exceeding 6 miles, 3 years. 16. Temporary connections (for a period less than one year) will be granted, provided the applicant pays the net cost of giving the connection, and a rental of 10s. for the first fortnight or fraction thereof, and fis. for every subsequent week. In the event of the temporary subscriber ultimately deciding to have the temporary connection converted to an ordinary permanent one, the usual bond must be given, and the regular charges will lake effect from the date of the completion of the bond. In such a case the cofct of making the connection will be refunded.