THE SUN-DIAL FOR ALBERT PARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12653, 6 September 1904, Page 7

THE SUN-DIAL FOR ALBERT PARK.

TO THE SDITOS, - } • Sir,—l notice that the Scenery Conaefwa- 1 tion Society, through Mr. Allom, hag been I asking the Qitj Council to expend money, g and o&orint to contribute some' of the so- ? let 7,» funds for the erection of a sun-dial in Albert Parlf. Permit roe, &$ a citizen and ft supscrfgej to the society, to express my disapproval of such expenditure!* While I consider the society capable of doing good work, this suggestion is an unfortunate. one, and not, to bo commended. Sun-dials were all very well a century ago, in country districts, and when there were ho railway eta- • tions ancjl few public clocks, and when watches were not as now in the hand? of nearly .ovwy youth in the community: but to put one up in the Albert Park,' within hearing of two public clocks, osie of them chiming quarter-hours, seems quit© absurd. Besides, to most people what use would it be? Everyone who knows anything about a sun-disl is aware thai; the shadow from the gnomon does not give correct mean time, p. it may be fast or slow, as much as 15 minutes, depending on the sun's position from day to day, and. if the correction for this is made from the equation table, there still remains another cprrection for mean colonial time (which we all nse)4-namely, 9£ minutes to deduct for Auckland. Would one out of 100 take the trouble? ( I think not, and hope that the Council will decline the request.— I am, etc., ■ Oitizejt,