CALENDAR REFORM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 7 October 1936, Page 4

CALENDAR REFORM

ADVANTAGEOUS TO COMMERCE A RESOLUTION CARRIED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, 6th October. Claiming that a year of four equal quarters and with a fixed Easter would be advantageous to commerce, supporters of calendar reform brought a remit before the Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire to-day. The remit, which was moved by Mr R. L. Barclay (London)* was as follows:— ;

“The Congress, whilst reaffirming the resolutions adopted at previous Congresses emphasising the great benefits which would accrue to trade and commerce from a fixed date for Easter, is convinced that the attainment of this object can best be achieved as part of, a general reform' of the calendar. The inefficiency of- the present system is obvious when it is realised that the same quarters are not comparable for. statistical, purposes. from year .'.to year owing to the varying number of working days -in them.”

Mr Barclay said that the remit had been before the Congress on several occasions, but there was a general desire that it should be kept under the notice of the authorities, especially as New Year’s Day in 1939 fell on a Sunday, and was an ideal date to inaugurate the reform. There a large amount of conservatism to be overcome, and it was necessary to keep hammering at their objective. The proposed calendar provided for four equal quarters of 91 days each, instead of unequal quarters, and two equal half-years, instead, of unequal divisions. Easter Sunday’ would be fixed as the second Sunday in April. Each year would begin on a Sunday and end on a Saturday. There would be'four f quarters of 13 weeks'each; plus one extra day, which would be a blank day, and. all hoped, a holiday. That day would fall between 30th December and Ist January. iThe problem of the blank day should not worry those who had travelled round the world, as they had to add a day when travelling from west to east and drop a day when moving.in.theibther direction. Generally, the religious organisations supported the reform.

Dr. E. P. Neale (Auckland) said that the Jews and the Seventh'.Day Adventists objected to the change, and it was just a question as to how far the rights of the minority should be considered. It might be possible to fix Easter without carrying out the major change. Mr A. G. Lunn (Auckland) asked

' what would happen to the birthday of a person born on the blank day. (Laughter). The resolution was carried unanimously.