17. (1) A licensee shall, before laying down or placing, within ten yards of any part of any telegraph-line, any electric supply-line or other works (not being either service lines or electric supply-lines for the repair, renewal or amendment of existing works of which the character or position is not to be altered), give not less than ten days notice in writing to the telegraph-authority, specifying- (a) the course of the works or alteration proposed, (b) the manner in which the works are to be utilised, (c) the amount and nature of the energy to be transmitted, and (d) the extent to, and manner in, which (if at all) earth returns are to be used; and the licensee shall conform with such reasonable requirements, either general or special, as may be laid down by the telegraph authority within that period for preventing any telegraph-line from being injuriously affected by such works or alterations: Provided that, in case of emergency (which shall be stated by the licensee in writing to the telegraph-authority) arising from defects in any of the electric supply-lines or other works of the licensee, the licensee shall be required to give only such notice as may be possible after the necessity for the proposed new works or alterations has arisen. (2) Where the works to be executed consist of the laying or placing of any service line, the licensee shall, not less than forty-eight hours before commencing the work, serve upon the telegraph-authority a notice in writing of his intention to execute such works.