DAYLIGHT SAVING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 18 July 1924, Page 2

DAYLIGHT SAVING

STRONG DEPUTATION TO PREMIER TO SUPPORT SUMMER TIME BILLREFORM STRONOI-Y URGED A very strong deputation, organised by ihe Sports Protection League, arid representative of many interests in the community, waited on tin* Prime Minister yesterday, to urge him to assist in passing Mr T. Iv. Sidey’s Summer Time Bill into law this session, reports fiio Post. It was, pointed out to Mr Massey that daylight-saving was a reform which would benefit the community as a whole.

Those present at the deputation, which was introduced bv the Hon. Dr. \Y. G. Collins, M.L.C.. consisted of the Leader of the. Opposition (Mr T. M. Wilford), numerous members of the. Legislature, and representatives of the Christchurch City Council, Wanganui City Council. Blenheim Borough Council, Pel one .Borough Council, Danncvirke Borough Council, Wanganui and Timaru Harbour Boards: Associated Chambers of Commerce, and the Hastings, Taranaki, Rotorua. Gisboi’ne, Wellington, and Wanganui Chambers; all summer sports bodies; New Zealand Cricket Association; New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, New Zealand Rowing Association, New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, New Zealand Golf Association, New Zealand Bowling Association. Drapers’ Federation, Civil Service, Bank Officers' Guild, Grocers, and representatives of ynrjous employees’ interests, as well as farmers. ■Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party were present ; but Mr H. F. Holland (chairman) afterwards stated to a Post reporter that the Labour members had merely attended to gain information. They wouid be guided by the industrial organisations, and the working farmers, in respect, to the matter. As a member of the medical profession, Dr. Collins said he was strongly in support of daylight-saving. Tho re-

form had the support of educational bodies, and was adopted in England, where tho twilight rendered it even loss' necessary than in this country. France and Germany also had the system in operation. Mr R. W. Shallcrass (secretary of the Sports Protection League) read the list of those bodies who were represented, and statpd that, lie believed the Taranaki dairy farmers were not against the measure.

Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., president of the Sports Protection League, stated ilmt if given a fair run lie thought Mr Sidey’s Bill would become law this session. All tho commercial classes were represented at. the deputation. The reform would make for efficiency and economy. and be for the benefit- of the wellbeing of the community. .Daylight-sav-ing was not a new system. It bad been operating in England for ten years, and only recently the Act bad been extended to cover six months of the year. In 1909 he believed that a Committee of tin* House investigated the subject of davlight-saving. Mr Massey: “From another point of. view, I think.”

Mr Skerrett said the committee had reported that the object was a desirable one, and would benefit_tho community generally, especially indoor workers and voung people of school age. It would also effect a saving of domestic light. He believed the system had boon adopted in pome Continental countries. It* had Been said that the fanners were against the proposal, but their objections must be illusory. Mr Massey: "You have not, been there.”

Mr Skerretf said that farming repre

In the end he went to the Dentist and had the tooth extracted. True, the pain lias gone, but so has the tooth! If he had applied a little Barrnciough’s Magic Nervine the pain would have disappeared just as qiiicklv. Nervine stops the pain because it kills the nerve. Barraojoligh’s Magic. Nervine has given satisfaction for over 25 years. Price 1/6 everywhere, or post free from Barraclough’s Ptv., Box 1247, Wellington. Money bad ; if nos satisfied. •'•-•rirsjfl

sentatives would speak in favour of the proposal. Country people, ho understood, had to work by the sun. Tlie Prime Minister: “That is just the difficulty. They have to work by the sun.”

In conclusion, Mr Skerrett said he hoped that Mr Massey would see his way clear to give th'.t proposal favourable consideration.

COMMERCIAL AND FARMER VIEWS Mr H. D. Vickev, representing the Associated Chambers of Commerce, said i hat many sections of the commercial community were already bringing daylight saving into effect. He submitted that the benefits would not only be economic, but would also improve the health of the community. The trouble was that many young people were deterred from having sufficient recreation for tlie reason that they had not enough tinio during the present hours of daylight to do so. . Mr J. S. Connett (Taranaki), expressing his personal view as a dairy farmer, spoke in favour of the proposal, and said he did not think; the farming community as a whole would take, any exception to it, recognising that it would he for the benefit, of the whole of the community. Dairy farmers had to work in every minute of daylight, but he did not. think their operations would be seriously interfered with. Harvesting operations, he thought, could be left, to take care of themselves. Of course, there was an objection there, because harvesting could not commence until the dews were off the grass. Air Massey: “Do you suggest that they should be exempted from any proposed legislation?” Air Connett: “Yes, that is all right: but I don’t know whether others will agree with that.” He felt that a large section of the farming community would look at the thing in a reasonable sort of way, Air W. E. Leadley, representing the Christchurch City Council, said that that bodv entirely approved the proposed reform. The North Canterbury Hos••ital Board members, of which lie was v me, and most of whom were retired farmers, also favoured it. Air Massey: “They want time to play bowls, these retired farmers.” (Laughter.) Mr Leadley said that all the retired farmers’ time was not, taken up in bowling. The hospital board members believed the measure would prevent- to a large extent the diseases that prevailed in the community. New Zealand had been in the forefront in the past in regard to social legislation, and it was hard to understand how it had lagged behind so long in regard to this reform.' Mr Leadley suggested that it might be on account of parly politics. Mr Afassey: “This is not a party question, and I won’t have a party question discussed here.” Mr Leadley said thev believed it was in the interests of sport, and of health, t.o- make the Bill law. < Mr Skerrett declared that it would be quite impracticable to exempt, any part of the community, or any portion of the territory of New Zealand, from the scope of any irie&sttr® that jnight dg passed.

MR AIASSET’S REPLY

In commencing his reply-, the Prime Alinister said that he was generally with the sports’ bodies. He believed that good, healthy British spo-rt was necessary to the Anglo-Saxon people, wherever they happened to be located. Fmin that point oi view there was no opposition on. his part to the request oi the deputation. He did not know whe* ther there was any opposition at all, but lie had been watching other countries. Australia passed a Daylight Saving Bill some y ears ago, and at- the end of twelve months repealed it, and not a single \oice in the Legislature was in favour of it when the repeal measure was going through. He had been told that if the Act had not been repealed it would have led to a revolution. Air S. Potter (president. Wellington Bowling Centre): “They can play games all the year round in Austrlia.” Air Massey replied that he had yet to learn that the climate of Victoria, or even New South Wales,, was very much different from that of New Zealand, although, of course, it was a little warmer. Davlight saving was in operation m Canada after a fashion, but the original legislation broke down, and now municipalities ran it for themselves. “It is a most awkward arrangement,' remarked Air Massey, “In Ottawa, when 1 was there, they had ’two 'town clocks opposite each other. It was 12 o’clock upon one clock when it was one o'clock on the other. 1 happened to time myseli by the wrong clock on one occasion, and ‘it resulted in my getting up earlier than when I wanted to get up, and 1 did not like it.” (Laughter.)

Mr Massey said he was not sure whether one or two Parliamentary Committees had considered the question in New Zealand, but he remembered that it had been considered from another point of view than that now submitted. The Philosophical Society he thought it was. had made a recommendation that, we. should make the time twelve i.cnrs opposite Greenwich. If that could jbe arranged he believed it would meet with the approval of shipmasters. He would like to see that tried. Mr Skerrett: ‘'.All the year round?” The Prime Minister: “Yes. That, is where the awkward part of this comes in.” If a farmer was growing cereals, daylight saving would he of no use to Inm, because he could not start work any earlier than lie did at present. He had to wait for sunrise and to give the corn time to- dry before harvesting operations commenced. There were numbers of people who were already observing daylight saving. Nearly all the sawmills were run on the principle of daylight saving by putting the clock for ward an hour in summer. Some of the miners did the same. There was no objection to that. Wherever it bod been tried in those industries it had worked well. What he was afraid of —he might be wrong—was that daylight saving might interfere seriously with the primary industry—agriculture, especially dairy farming. It was upon that industry that we all depended, no matter whether we lived in the town or the country. Those people.already got up at 5 o’clock in the morning. Of course, it might he said that under daylight saving it would still he 5, but reallyj it would be 4, and. personally, he did : not thok they would 'like if. Not the slightest notice was taken of the daylight saving law in England at harvesting time, and lie, thought that the people concerned there were right in that attitude. If you are going to have a daylight saving law certain exemptions must be made or else it won’t work. We will have a repetition of what happened in Australia. Tf it wore possible to give it to the cities, I would say, “Go and take 'it.” But Ido not want, to see the prinYipa.l industries of the country interfered with. However, this will lead to discussion, and, no doubt, we shall have a little more light thrown upon it. Mr Massey said that captains of shps did not iike what was proposed, but they could stand having the clock put twelve hours opposite Greenwich tin.*. He had no doubt that the matter would come up in the House, hut if anything were done it could only be for a. lnnited ■period by way of experiment. He could not support an all-round proposal such as was suggested to remain in operation indefinitely. If you can see your way to took at the matter from my point of view and tho w elf or® of the country as a whole, then wo mav he able to come to some arrangement,' or come to some understanding.