STRAIN OF WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 18, 23 January 1933, Page 5

STRAIN OF WORK.

HOT WEATHER HOURS. EARLIER TO THE OFFICE. POWER BOARD DECISION. In hot countries it is customary to take a siesta in the middle of the day, and newcomers are always rather disconcerted to find business places closed and business people wrapped in blissful sleep at a time when shopkeepers in colder climates are busily hunting the pennies. Auckland can hardly be said to be situated in a hot country, though there is on reciord the case of a man from the frigid north of Scotland who tried to settle Cown In a North Auckland town, and found the month of February so tropical that he sold up and took the next boat home for fear that if he stayed any longer there would not be enough of him left to be recognised by his Scottish cousins. Still, Auckland is undeniably warm, especially during the end of January and February, and there has been talk of closing the schools during the latter month instead of earlier. A few business places have sought to mitigate the sufferings of their sweltering clerks by advancing the clock half an hour over and above the half hour provided by Parliament on the advice of Sir Thomas Sidey, and they escape into the fresh air half an hour before the general mass of workers. It means that, according to standard time and not summer time, they start work at 8 a.m. and leave off at 4 p.m. The Waitemata Electric Power Board this morning authorised the manager, Mr. A. Main, to institute this reform in the board's offices, where the clerks will in future start at 8.30 and leave at 4.30. Mr. Main explained that he made the suggestion " owing to the excessive heat." Board members thought the idea an excellent one and readily gave permission to make the change. Mr. Main explained that cash would itill be received at the head office and ■tiepots up to 5 p.m., so the change would not aiffect the„customers. __