SAVING DAYLIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 12 December 1923, Page 9

SAVING DAYLIGHT

BOWLERS TAKE ACTTON

TO GET BILL PASSED,

The importance of Parliament passing a Daylight Saving Bill next session was stressed at last night's meeting of the Wellington Bowling Centre. Mr. J. Muir moved that the centre accord its support to the daylight-saving proposal, and obtain the consent of the Dominion Council to place the matter by deputation before the Prime Minister on his return from England.' He suggested that the co-operation of all sports bodies should be secured in attending the deputation. Mr. Massey had said that three-fourths, of. the people of the Dominion were in favour of a Daylight Saving BUI being passed. '■"•■.' Mr. W. Seddon seconded the motion. S. Potter thought it would be in the interests of the community at large if daylight saving were instituted in the Dominion. It would do the "younger fry" good if they were made to get up earlier in the morning. By putting the clock forward half an hour for three or four months in the year it would enable bowlers and other sportsmen to play longer in the evenings. Mr. F. Meadowcroft (president) said he feared that as long as Mr. Massey was" at the head of the Government the. Daylight Saving Bill would not be passed. Employers had the matter in their own hands, and he himself proposed to introduce the principle into his firm's operations, provided the consent of the Labour Department could be obtained. Mr. Massey represented the farming interests, which opposed daylight-saving, and the speaker therefore doubted whether any sort of a deputation would do much good. It would be better for everybody if employers decided the matter for themselves.

Mr. W. L. Thompson agreed with the principle put forward, and thought that much cbuld be done by employers deciding to inaugurate the reform for themselves.

The secretary (Mr. R. W. Shallcrass) stated that the Prime Minister had indicated his willingness to meet the sports people, half way in the matter, and had actually allowed a Time Adjustment Bill to be brought forward, but it had never been, passed. This Bill would put NewZealand exactly twelve hours ahead of Greenwich. He-thought that a deputation to the Government would impress upon them the need for doing something on the lines suggested. "I get up at 5 o'clock in the morning, and it's the very best time in my life," declared Mr. E. J. Hill, who advocated that the various traders' associations should take the matter into their own hands in order to force the issue on the Government.

"We would have to approach the Labour Party," said Mr. S. M. Stone. "I am afraid we would have some trouble with Labour. They are our bosses, or 'want to be, and we would have to meet them." Speaking for the timber merchants", he could say that they would support the proposal. , A voice: "Labour is in favour of the principle." Another member: "No, they are not/ Mr. W. Seddon said he felt sure, that Labour would support daylight saving. If the matter were pressed on Mr. Massey he would have to do something, "for he hasn't such a big majority that he can play ducks and drakes with it." Daylight-saving was now in operation at Petone Workshops, where the men ceased work at 4 p.m. The motion was carried unanimously