The Short Title of this Act is “The Auckland Electric Lighting Act, 1891.”

In this Act, if not inconsistent with the context hereof, and unless there are words to exclude or restrict such meaning, the words and expressions following shall severally have the meanings hereinafter assigned to them, that is to say,—

Subject and without prejudice to “The Electric Lines Act, 1884,” “The Municipal Corporations Act, 1886,” and “The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act, 1887,” the company may supply energy for public and private purposes within the whole or any part of the area of supply as defined by this Act, and for the purposes aforesaid may break up or cross over streets, roads, rivers, and bridges, and place mains, service-lines, and distributing-mains either above or below ground, and lay down and place pipes, conduits, and service-pipes, and erect pillars, arches, and poles, and make, construct, and do other works and things for supplying energy within such area of supply, or any part thereof, upon such terms and conditions, for such period or periods, and subject to such regulations and provisions for securing the safety of the public, as may be agreed between the company and the local authority or authorities having jurisdiction within such area of supply.

A copy of every agreement made between the company and Agreement to be any local authority shall be deposited at the office of the local authority; and notice that such agreement has been previously made, and that a copy thereof is open for inspection, shall be advertised in some newspaper published in the City of Auckland at least once in each of four successive weeks after such deposit.

The Mayor or Chairman of such local authority shall call a meeting of the burgesses or ratepayers of such local authority for a day, not less than ten days after the last publication of such advertisement, to consider such agreement, and, if present, shall preside at such meeting. If the Mayor or Chairman of the local authority be not present, then a chairman of the meeting may be appointed at the meeting.

A copy of such agreement shall be produced at such meeting, and the terms thereof may be then discussed and considered. Any amendments or alterations in such agreements suggested at such meeting may, if the local authority and the company agree thereto, be made, and the agreement so amended or altered· shall be deemed to be the same agreement as that originally deposited and advertised.

After such meeting, and on such day as the Mayor or Chairman of the local authority shall appoint, a poll of the burgesses or ratepayers shall be held, at which the question shall be submitted whether such agreement shall be confirmed.

Such poll shall be taken and held in the manner provided by section one hundred and eighty-one of the “The Municipal Corporations Act. 1886.” If a majority of the votes polled shall be in favour of confirming such agreement, then such agreement shall be valid and effectual as from the day of the declaration of such poll, and if a majority of the votes polled shall be against the confirmation of such agreement, then such agreement shall be null and void.

The company shall not be entitled to exercise any of the powers hereby conferred until such agreement is entered into and confirmed. If such agreement is not entered into and confirmed within one year from the date hereof, the powers and authorities hereby conferred shall cease. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed in any way to pledge or bind any local authority to enter into any such agreement, or to prevent such local authority from entering into any other agreement with any other company, person, or syndicate for supplying electricity within such area, or from itself supplying the same.

The area of supply shall be the whole of the area included in the Schedule hereto.