SUMMER TIME

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 63, 16 March 1933, Page 10

SUMMER TIME

EXTENSION OF PERIOD

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I was interested to read in Saturday's issue of your paper that .fiftyone Bills had been passed by Parliament at the recent session. On scanning ■the list, however, I noted there was one serious omission—Parliament had not passed a Bill providing for an extension of the period during which the half-hour Summer Time is in force. During the last week the Press throughout the Dominion has advised the community that the clocks arc to be put back half an hour next Sunday, and in doing so some of the newspapers have mentioned that there are thousands of people who would like to'have seen the half-hour period extended until Easter or the end. of April.

On Sunday next we will, quite unnecessarily, be "plunged" all of a sudden into the long dark evenings, just at the very time when" the extra halfhour is most needed and appreciated:

It is wonderful ho\v the farmers have found there is nothing objectionable in the half-hour Summer Time. Experience has shown that th« disadvantages complained of previously in country districts have vanished into thin air. Most of the farmers would like the. half-hour extended right throughout the year, which is really the correct' solution of the problem. This may not suit Irivercargill and surrounding districts where, for a week or two in the middle of the winter, the sun would not rise till twenty-three minutes to nine. However, we must remember that in ,the' far .south the. residents inthe summer-not-only enjoy tlie extra half-hour, but in addition have the benefit of, a long expansion "of twilight which is denied other parts of the Dominion, and which are therefore, perhaps, entitled to a little consideration. Apart from this consideration, however, necessity is the mother of invention, and some method will evolve which will overcome; the difficulty as far as Invercargill is concerned —all difficulties in this life are only made to be overcome.

You will remember it was announced last September that. Sir Thomas Sidey had addressed a questionnaire to members of Parliament on Daylight Saving. A consideration of the views expressed showed that1 there was not a majority in favour of reverting to the full hour, but that the majority of those who replied favoured an extension of the half-hour period, and some favoured a permanent advance of Standard Time by half an hour all the year round. Now, why has nothing been done during the last session to extend the half-hour Summer Time to the end of April so as to always include Easter, or better still, to extend it throughout the year? The answer is that Parliament has always been very timid on this question and refuses to face it. And yet, of late, the Government has brought in some most drastic legislation without fear or' favour, the purport of thislegislation being an honest endeavoua .to assist the country during the* economic depression. Has the Government overlooked the fact that Summer Time is itself also an economy measure, especially in the matter of lightingt The object of my writing to-you is this: As your paper has all along been? an ardent supporter of Summer Time, would you "make, any suggestion in your columns as to what course should be adopted to ensure that Parliament will' next session extend the half-hour—say, to, the end of April, or preferably throughout the year. . It is most evident that some move must be made before Parliament will face the situation, and someone musfstart this move.

It almost seems as if such bodies as the chambers of commerce and the Me Ndical Association should take it up and be supported'iby the Press. Sports bodies had perhaps better be left out, as utterances from them do not seem to carry weight on this question (probably because it-is a case of all" for self)— a very large number of citizens, who do not take part in sport, also derive benefit from Summer Time.—l am etc.

E. MACKAY.

Bulls, March 15.