SUMMER VACATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20539, 14 April 1930, Page 7

SUMMER VACATION.

SIR T. SIDEY'S SCHEME.

SUGGESTED SCHOOL TERMS

DAYLIGHT-SAVING QUESTION, fn? TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.} WELLINGTON,. Saturday. "Some weeks havo elapsed since I pub forward for consideration tho suggestion that oui 1 long summer vacation might include the month of February and rim into March," said Sir Thomas Sidey, Attorney-General, in an interview to-day, "Tho reception accorded the proposal has at least demonstrated that it is worthy of serious consideration. I am sure that if the time of tho year for holding tho long summer vacation wore to be determined only by the consideration that it should be held when the finest and most settled weather conditions prevail, then it must include the month of February. • This is confirmed by reference to the meteorological returns for almost every part of New Zealand, covering a period of about half a century. "In further support of this one need only quote from a communication addressed to me by the director of the meteorological branch of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Dr. Kidson states: 'February is undoubtedly the finest month of the year. It has more settled and less stormy weather than any other month, and the conditions are generally pleasant. March also is a fine month. Wind velocities are lower in Feb. ruary and March than in December and January. Tho days are, of course, beginning to grow shorter,, but are still of good length.' Christmas and New Year. "The chief difficulties in the way of tha proposal, as I have analysed them from the letters I have received and from statements made publicly, arise first'from our traditional observance of Christmas, and second from the proximity of Christmas to the New Year. At Christmas there are family reunions. Thus, boarders, especially at secondary schools, might have lo travel long distances in the middle the term. This might mean closing the'' schools for not fewer than nine days, from December 24 to January 1. This might have an unsettling influence on the minds of the children, so far as work for the remainder of tho term is concerned. "Again, the proximity of the two holidays has induced tho practice on tho part of many firms and establishments of closing down for ten days or a fortnight over the Christmas and New Year holidays, and it is only natural that parents who take advantage of this practice to go away from home should desire their children to accompany them. Furthermore, shopkeepers may desire parents and children to have some time off before Christmas Day to enable the Christmas shopping to be done. "I have examined other objections, including one relating to the holding of certain examinations, some of which might bo held at the beginning of January, but I do not consider these objections present any great obstacle lo the introduction of the proposal. Difficulties are only made to be overcome if the objective is a good one, and it will be for those who are specially concerned to care- • fully examine the proposal in order to determine whether its advantages are sufficiently great to outweigh the objections' that may bo legitimately raised against it. Suggestion for Parants. "I observe that tho proposal is to bo discussed at many annual meetings of householders for the election of school committees. In order ihat householder may have before them some concrete indication of how tho school year would bo divided, I submit a suggested scheme for primary schools, say, fcr 1931, as follows:—First term, March 9-June 12 (fourteen weeks); second term, Juno 29September 25 (thirteen weeks); third term, October 12-January 22 (fifteen weeks). It will bo seen that tho second term is made shorter than the others bocauso it is not broken by any public holidays. It is kept short also to coincide as much as possible with tho university term, which might, if necessaiy,- be also slightly modified. Tho first term would ' include Easter, and the third Christmas and New Year. Of course, some special arrangements would havo to be made for tho change-over. "There are two other matters that have some relation to this question," added the Minister. "Tho first is the fixation of the date of Easter. Sinco my previous interview appeared a file dealing with this question has been submitted for my consideration. I observe that in England an Act was passed in 1928 fixing tho date of Easter for the first Sunday after tho second Saturday in April. The. Act. however, only comes into operation by Order-in-Council, the object being beforo bringing it into force to secure as far as possible uniformity in (jther countries, and throughout tho Empire. The advantage of the stabilisation of the dato of Easter is, of course, tho greater tho more universally it is observed. If any legislation were passe.d in New Zealand it would only bo desirable to enact it subject to the condition that it should come into operation only if, and when, the English Act comes into force. "It seems to mq, however, that in view of the differences of opinion that obtain in certain quarters, it is doubtful whether the legislation passed by the Imperial Government will be brought into operation. In my opinion, therefore, instead of our passing any provisional legislation on the samo lines in tho meantime it would bo preferable that tho matter be made a subject for consideration at the approaching Imperial Conference. Advancing the Clock, "A further matter that has some bearing on the long summer vacation proposition is the obsorvanco of summer time," said Sir Thomas. "It is clear that tho observance of half an hour of summer timo can bo carried on for a longer period of tho year than could the observance of one full hour, and I believe that tho half hour might bo extended to say the third Sunday in April, which would ordinarily cover the Easter holidays, aiid would do so in all cases if the Easter dato woro fixed as provided in tho English Act. "There is another consideration which affects the observance of the full hour of summer timo, and that is that owing to the equation of time tho mornings contract rapidly in February and March so that tho amount of daylight available in tho morning at the beginning of February is little more than that available at the beginning of October when summer timo starts and is less during february and March than at any period of tho observance of summer time. One of tho reasons that have been urged against the full hour of summer time is that there is not sufficient daylight for certain work to bo done in tho morning. That objection applies with greatest force after tho schools reopen at the beginning of February, hut the objection would bo almost entirely removed if the now proposal regarding tho long summer vacation wore brought into operation, as during tho later portion of tho observance of summer time the schools would be closed. This would add greatly to tho facilities for tho enjoyment by the children of their summer holidays. "Tho proposal therefore for the later observance of tho long summer vacation is one which would help tho reinstatement of tho full hour of summer timq/! which might then be extended tQ tm dose that jacation^ ■-.■J