SSH Port forwarding when "PermitRootLogin"==no ?

[Kevin Kinsey]

Hello,

I'm (still) trying to work around a limitation I've encountered
with a new service provider (cf. "MTA on non-standard port").

As root:
 # ssh -L 24:server:52525 server

   fails because root logins aren't permitted in
/etc/sshd_config on the server.

Also as root:
 # ssh -L 24:server:52525 user at server

fails - an terminal session is established, but
when I telnet localhost:24 I receive this in the
terminal:
   
channel 3: open failed: administratively prohibited: open failed

I was kinda under the impression this should work, since
the port on the remote server is a dynamic port.

Any suggestions how I might get this to work?

TIA,

Kevin Kinsey