49.—(1) The Board may manufacture and the Board and also any authorised undertaker with the consent of the Board may provide, sell, or let on hire any electric lines, fittings, apparatus, and appliances for lighting, heating, motive power or any other purpose for which electricity can or may be used and may connect, repair, maintain, and remove any lines, fittings, apparatus, and appliances so provided, sold, or let on hire, and may in respect of such lines, fittings, apparatus, and appliances demand and take such remuneration or rents and charges and make such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon.

(2) In the exercise of its powers under the foregoing sub-section the Board shall have regard to the desirability of taking measures to ensure the promotion and extension of the manufacture in Saorstát Eireann of electric lines, fittings, apparatus and appliances.

(3) All charges made by the Board or by an authorised undertaker for the sale or letting on hire of electric lines, fittings, apparatus or appliances shall be fixed at such rates that the revenue derived by the Board or by such authorised undertaker (as the case may be) from such sale and such letting on hire shall not be less than the expenditure incurred in or about such sale and letting on hire including the cost of providing or (in the case of the Board) manufacturing such electric lines, fittings, apparatus or appliances.

(4) The Board shall keep separate accounts in relation to moneys received and expended by it in or in connection with the manufacture, provision, sale, and letting on hire of electric lines, fittings, apparatus and appliances.

(5) Neither the Board nor any authorised undertaker shall attach to the supply of electricity any condition involving the provision by or purchase or hire from the Board or from such authorised undertaker of any electric lines, fittings, apparatus, or appliances, nor give any preference direct or indirect to any consumer on condition of such provision by or purchase or hire from the Board or from such authorised undertaker.

(6) All electric lines, fittings, apparatus, and appliances provided or let on hire by or on behalf of an authorised undertaker on a consumer's premises either before or after the passing of this Act, and also all lands, buildings and works held by an authorised undertaker in connection with his undertaking shall be deemed to form part of the undertaking authorised by the special Act or order relating to such authorised undertaker.

(7) For the purposes of this section, electric lines, fittings, apparatus, and appliances disposed of by the Board or by an authorised undertaker on terms of payment by instalments shall until the whole of the instalments have been paid, be deemed to be electric lines, fittings, apparatus, or appliances (as the case may be) let on hire by the Board or the undertaker and shall not be subject to distress or to the landlord's remedy for rent of the premises where the same may be nor to be taken in execution under any process of a court of law or equity or any proceedings in bankruptcy against the person in whose possession the same may be.

(8) Nothing in this section shall affect the amount of the assessment for rating of any premises upon which any electric lines, fittings, apparatus, or appliances are or shall be fixed.