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PERPETUAL INJUNCTION GRANTED. ' . (Per Cablo—Press Association—Copyright.) Received August 26, J2.20 a.m. - \ . , ' SYDNEY, August 25. .' Mi Tlic Equity Court granted the Sun- , Timcs-.Reuter cable services perpetual injunctions 'against the Bathurst. Times. , . ■=— MEASUREMENT OF TIME, i INTERESTING CLOCK. PROBLEMS! DIJNEDIX, August 28. "The Movement .of the Heavenly Bodies as a Measure of Time" was the very interesting subject brought'before the astronomical branch of the Otago Institute at its meeting''at the Museum last evening. The subject was discussed in a paper sent forward by Corporal JohnMJ. Begg, now with the Sevcnteentji Reinforcements in Trentham. Mr, I?. Gilkison presided over a small attendance of members and friends, Corporal Bcgg's paper was read by Mr C. L, McAdam,' who said that i't dealt with what was perhaps the most important practical application of astronomy. The writer began by comparing the problems .of measurement .of space and of time. It was shown that something external was necessary to serve as a standard of measurement, We came to look on time as something definite and objective, and dnv ami night- were the first standard of'reference used for calculating it. The curious problem of how time might be measured if the earth were alone in space was discussed, and the meanings of "sido■■rraltiiiii'" and a "sidereal day" were clearly explained. • The apparent daily course of the sun was by no means so regular as that of a star,'ami'was; in fact, somewhat erratic. The lateness of the'sua at 'the daily 'meridian' wasexplained by its backward circular movement "completed once in a year., in order to overcome the difficulties of the irregularities of the sun's, pas-, sage of the meridian,'astronomers had devised an imaginary mean gun, and struck an average to avoid the ineipiali-' ties of the sun's* movements. The use of the transit telescope and the various processes.necessary hi the calculation' of the true mean time were clearly outlined. The difference in the true 'moan times between tho extremities of east and west in New Zealand amounted to no less than forty-eight minutes.. One standard- time was therei'oro adopted for couvcmcucc sake, the, niferidiaii chosen being - 17Sdeg ilOmiu '.east of. Greenwich, which placed us 11 hours ISO iniiiutos iii ailvimiio of Oreciiwicll time.. The.paper concluded with a.discussion of'.time - signals.. Extracts from a paper on " Tinkering witlr the Clock" were read by Mr 11, Brasch. who said the paper had been written by a well-known New Zealand engineer. The paper began by reference to the.varying standard times in the United States and in the Commonwealth of Australia.', It was shown that
under "Eastern" standard time in the States sonic 'jut) hours more daylight was utilised than wider the "Central" time. The writef "adversely criticised Mr T. K. Sidcy's Daylight Saving Bill on the ground that the change was not a permanent one, but involved two changes perpetually. As an alternative lie proposed that New Zealand standard time be placed' twclvo hours ahead of Greenwich instead of 1U hours as at present, stating that the half-hour thus saved daily.all the year round would be equivalent to tho hour saved daily during half the year under Mr Sidey's scheme. Very interesting problems connected with the alterations of time necessary in travelling east or west and the dropping or adding a day on the voyage round the world were dealt with. It was shown that the "date line" theoretically should follow the 180 th parallel twisted and turned in and out to suit the convenience of Chatham and other islands concerned. The writer set out the striking view that it was only the bigoted notion that the houv oE.mid-day must be denoted bv twelve throughout the whole world that prevented Greenwich time from being adopted universally. .The chairman, in commenting on the paper, mentioned that it had been writll'" >»' Mr C W. Adams, late chief surveyor of Otago, He dissented from some of the views expressed, and supported the,proposals of Mr Sidev's Bill. Professor 'Park, with the aid' of the black-board, gave a very useful elucidation of a -number of points raised in the papers. He pointed out advantages that would follow from, reckoning Xew Zealand time as twelve hours ahead of Greenwich. Professor White and others also contributed to a live discussiun.
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Bibliographic details
North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13656, 26 August 1916, Page 8
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702NEWSPAPER COPYRIGHT. North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13656, 26 August 1916, Page 8
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