THE N.Z. INSURANCE CLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 126, 28 May 1918, Page 6

THE N.Z. INSURANCE CLOCK.

STARTED BY THE MAYOB. An interesting ceremony took blom this afternoon in the New Zealand fc, Burance Company's fine new block of buildings in Queen Street, when tta Mayor (Mr. J. H. Gunson) pressed a but ton which set in motion the system of electrical synchronised clocks with which the building is furnished, and inciden tally started the large bracket clock which ornaments the Queen Street front of the buildings. The master clock of the system is in the board-room, and has a pendulum which, beating the see <jnds in one direction pulls a wheel hv means of a palette. There are fifteen teeth in thi3 wheel, which in thirty beats completes an electric circuit, and m completion of the circuit small magnots on each clock are set in operation, and by a simple mechanical device the minute hand jumps forward thirty seconds making 120 such jumps each hour. For the starting ceremony a miniature dock had been set in an ebony pedestal with an electric starter attached. This dock being connected by wire with the whole system, eet every clock in the buildine going upon the Mayor preseing a button! Each clock was set at half-past two, M j on the button being pressed, the minnt e hands started forward in little jerks ifll they stood at the zenith of the circle, while the hour hands were at the figure three, whence they slowed down to°the speed of " Old Time," which once more will be registered on the front of the New Zealand Insurance Buildings for the convenience of the passer-by. Mr. Gunson, in performing the starting ceremony, congratulated the directors ol the company on their enterprise in haying so handsome a building erected, and one which was a notable ornament to the city, and on tlir'- nublie spirit in establishing so fine a clock for the ber* fit of the general public in the city's chief thoroughfare.