DAYLIGHT SAVING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 September 1927, Page 5

DAYLIGHT SAVING

THIRD READING CARRIED BY 29 TO 14 VOTES. OPPONENTS’ FINAL EFFORT. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. Speaking on the motion for the third reading of the Summer lime Bill in the House of Representaives to-night, Mr. W. S. Glenn reiterated his opposition owing to the Bill’s ill-effects on the farming industry. He felt proud of the effort- of those who had assisted for two nights to put the farmers’ attitude and position before the House. He declared that those who had advocated the measure so strongly . were city men who had not the real interests of the country man at heart. Mr. H. T. Armstrong controverted! the contention that the farmers of the country were really opposed as a body to the Bill. He himself had no strong enthusiasm for the Bill, though he believed it would confer -some- benefit on some sections of the people in the cities. At the same time, he could not agree that the measure would work any injury to the farming industry. Mr. C. E. McMillan registered opposition to the Bill on the ground 'that it was detrimental to the interests of back-block farmers, who- should be assured of compensation in some form. Mr. A. 51. Samuel protested against the Bill as a thing prejudicial to the hardest working .section, of the community. Members of the House should give it more than 18 years’ consideration ; they should give it 80 years’ consideration and then reject it-. He mentioned that a telegram from one dairy factory company with 8000 shareholders, representing at least 40,000 people, had urged him to oppose the measure, and he had had a number of other communications couched in similar terms. It was strange that such a Bill could be pushed through .the House without providing exemptions for the hardest worked section of the people. Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that all the votes on the Bill had been two -

to one in its favour. The members from Taranaki, one of the chief farming portions of the country, favoured the Bill. Sir Joseph said that England, France, Belgium and Italy had adopted daylight saving Acts and kept them, on since war-time. They would not have done this if it were detrimental to the farmers of those countries. This Bill was only to be. on trial for four months, and it could not do any great injury in that time. Mr. W. D. Lysnar asked how the Leader of the Labour Party .reconciled his concern for the miners with hig. absence of consideration for the farmers when he asked for exemption for the former while leaving the latter subject to the provisions of the Bill. Mr. H. E. Holland said his amendment relating to the miners, was brought forward under a perfectly open arrangement with Mr. Sidey and in pursuance of an honest principle. The Hon. A. D. McLeod said: ,he would vote against the Bill because he knew his constituents would suffer serious inconvenience from it. Practically every branch of the Farmers’ Union throughout the Dominion had oa-ssed resolutions condemning the Bill. The debate was carried on by Messrs. W. E. Parry, J. Mason, E. J. Howard, T. IV. Rhodes and D. Jones.

Shortly after midnight Mr. Sidey rose to reply. He said- he was doing so under circumstances* of greater hope of .summer time becoming pant of the law of the country. He thanked his friends for their congratulations, and expressed the belief that the opponents hadi been acting, in what they believed to be the best interests of their constituents. The discussion had mainly circled! round hardship to. the farmers, but he was confident that when the railways had adapted their .service to the people and when the people had adapted themselves to. the new eiroumistanaa-s very Little hardslii.o would occur. As a matter of fact it was impossible to say how summer time was gong to affect many people until it had had an actual trial.

Mr Sidev had tried to. meet the objectors by accepting amendments, but when he did so his opponents voted against him. The Bill was not the result of organised effort, and there was no compact to secure the support of :he Labour Party. That was not necessary, because the 'Labour Party had always supported the Bill. He asked the farmers to remember that while the war was on they-were exempted in order that our production didi not suffer. He therefore asked the farmers to try and adapt themselves to the altered conditions, which he was confident would benefit the health of the people as a whole. He thanked the Prime Minister for "playing the game” ini connection with the Bill. He had promised to give it a fair run and he had kept liis word. Hei also thanked the Leader of the Opposition and Mr M. J. Savage for postponing their Bills in order to enable his to come on. That wa-s generous conduct towards one who was not a member of the Labour Party, particularly as their action was quite voluntarv. He also thanked those members who a.t great- personal inconvenience stood by him through two all! night sittings. This lie recognised was a <n-e-at tribute to his B-iill and to 'himself.

On the question that the Bill be read a. third time a division was called for, and resulted in the third reading being agreed to by 2f) votes to 14, and the House rose at 12.34. The division list was:— FOR THE BILL. At more Luke Armstrong Mason, H. G. R. Bartram • Mason, J. Bell Nash Bellringer Nos worthy Buddo Potter Dickie Rolleston. F. J. Dickson. J. S. ' Savage Forsyth Sidey Fraser Waite Girling Walter Harris Ward Holland, H. Wright Howard • Young Kyle ~. agatnst. Bitehener - HocklevCoates Hunter Dickson, .T. it. Linklater Elliott Pomare Field Rolleston, J.C. Glenn Samuel - Hawken Williams'