ADVANCING THE CLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 225, 22 September 1924, Page 8

ADVANCING THE CLOCK.

DAYLIGHT SAVING BILL. CHANCE OF ADOPTION. (Ky Telegraph.—Special to "Star."s WELLINGTON, this day. Backed as it is by the support of New Zealand scientific opinion, and the-prac-tical conclusion of the general manager of railways that daylight saving would be an advantage, and would cause no railway time-table difficulties, Mr. 1. K. Sidey's Summertime Bill appears to have the best chance of being accepted since its first introduction so long ago as 1909.

The special committee of the House of Representatives which took evidence on the bill reported favourably, and it now remains to try out the bill on members of both Houses. When the bill was introduced in 1909 a good deal of interesting evidence was heard by a committee, which reported favourably, but too late in the session to permit the measure to be considered. Its author, who lias been wonderfully persistent, i. of opinion that in every Parliament there has been a majority in favour of daylight saving, "nut it has been persistently blocked by a section of farming interests. The finest opportunity for daylight saving to become established in New _ealand arrived in 1915, when the country was suffering through a coal shortage, and there was a general tendency to adopt any expedient to secure economy in fuel, lighting, and increased efficiency in the productive power of the workers. The House of Representatives recognised this, and pas-sed the bill, although the old opposition from a section of the farming interest was again so strong that an all-night sitting was necessary to get it through. Such proceeding was uniqque, because it had never before happened that a sufficient number of members could be got to take enough interest in a private member's bill to sit up all night in the hope of getting it passed. Unfortunately for Mr. Sidey the session was well advanced, and the hospitality of the ?r vanced, and the hostility of the Legislative Council proved an effective bar to the measure becoming law.

On that occasion the bill was opposed by the Government, and the National Government was beaten when the House carried the second reading. However, it was not a no-confidence test, and the event had no significance other than to •show the strength of feeling in favour of the daylight saving experiment.

After much effort and successive failure. Mr. Sidey determined to give the proposal a rest, but, in view of the continued success of the scheme in England, and greatly increased interest in the matter in New Zealand, he is trying again.

Wliat are his chances? The bill is opposed personally by the Prime Minister, who would not, however, carry his opposition to the point of marshalling the party forces against it. His attitude may be tempered by the fact that a committee which lie ' nominated included five members who bad voted against the bill on its second reading. Air. Sidey nominated five members, who were favourable, but he conceded an important point to the Prime Minister in agreeing to allow an opponent of the bill to become chairman of the committee, with the advantage of a casting vote. Though, on the face of things, ■there was thus a majority on the committee against the bill,* it was fairminded enough, after hearing evidence, to recommend that the bill should proceed, though it was not unanimous on the point.

As the bill stands, the experiment of. advancing the clock one hour in summer would commence on the first Sundat of November, and there would be four months' trial, not to be repeated unless Parliament again acts. Opportunity for private members' bills has eoa-sed for the session, but the Prime Minister has promised that Mr. Sidev's bill will be given a chance at the first opportunity. ''

"I have good grounds for believin ." said _.ir. Sidey to your correspondent, "that the bill has a majority in the' Lower House, but as to its fate in the Legislative Council it is almost impossible to express an opinion, except that if the Government is determined to kill it that process will happen in the Council."'