NEW SUMMER-TIME PROPOSAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 203, 10 August 1928, Page 8

NEW SUMMER-TIME PROPOSAL

LARGE DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. MR. SIDEY’S LOCAL EMPOWERING BILL. [Per Press Association.) Wellington, Aug. 9. A large and representative deputation waited on the Premier to-day to urge that facilities be given for the passage of the Summer Time Local Empowering Bill introduced into the House of Representatives by Mr. T. K. Sidey. The deputation was introduced by Mr Sidey and was representative of the Wellington City Council and a number of local bodies outside.

Mr. Sidey said the representative nature of the deputation showed the strength of the sentiment in favour of the larger towns and cities being given the power to adopt Summer Time. They recognised that there were difficulties but the measure would not affect the railways, steamer services or Post and Telegraph Department. They -relied on those services being able to meet the altered conditions. While he had introduced the Bill to trv and meet the very strong demand that existed for Summer Time, he did not regard the new measure as being anything like so satisfactory as the former measure. He was quite sure that the Act of last session ha:) not been thoroughly tried. What t',‘e deputation wanted was the Preml r’s assurance that facilities would be given to enable Parliament to teal with the new measure. MR. COITES’S REPLY. Replying to the deputation, Mr. Coates said the proposal was entirely new to him and would receive some consideration. He failed to see how

transport could be arranged to meet the cases of difficulty that would arise. He thought there was legislative authority now for local authorities to adopt Daylight Saving if they wished. Mr. Sidey said the awards of the Arbitration Court and certain statutes prevented this being done. Mr. Coates said he would not like to make a definite commitment that the Bill would be given all the facilities of a Government Bill. He would consider the matter and let Mr. Sidey know what facilities could be given The Deputy-Mayor of Wellington said he and the others had indications from a good many members who had opposed the Bill and who represented country constituencies that they would support the present proposal.