DAYLIGHT SAVING BILL.

Evening Star, Issue 15882, 14 August 1915, Page 10

DAYLIGHT SAVING BILL.

■ TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Apparent and' mean- time, from the Jewish era onward to Roman senators, and now to ourselves, has always been an interesting problem, particularly from a mathematical point of view. How will it work in New Zealand? Our mean time is about Ih 35min in advance of mean time in Australia, This means a delay in die receipt of important mercantile nows, and more so of war news," Will this he advantageous ■ to. merchants, underwriters, and the Executive Government? Will it not he some inconvenience to have' our breakfast two hours earlier, particularly to those, who have to earn it before eating? Thoughts such as these evolve in. one’s mind against those for advantageous reasoning ; unices the profitable employment of leisure were given to rnilitary drill with compulsory service in the firing line against our piratical and murderous enemies. Parenthetically one fears Parliament has overlooked this fact while debating'a Bill wholly Utopian and unworkable. Were wo (the world) to reform our calendar is quite another matter. Man’s timekeeper is the earth, and his‘first correct clock was the stars. About 150 years before Christ Hipparchus, the father of mathematical astronomy, found in the heavens several stars so placed that one or more of them'would be on the meridian—that is to ■say, would be clue south (north- 1 cm hemisphere) at every hour of the day. That was.our first clock (sidereal). It has been going for over 2,050 years, and is not* more than .a minute out to-day.—l am, etc., Fuederick Mallard. August 14.