ADVANCING THE CLOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20991, 30 September 1931, Page 13

ADVANCING THE CLOCK.

Sir, —Your correspondent, Mr. E. Birks. asks me "In what way the abolition ot daylight saving would be likely to relieve "the present unemployment situation," I did not contend that its observance was directly responsible for unemployment, but my letter indicated, necessarily briefly, that the measure created a' false outlook on life, subordinating the things that really matter to those that fail to satisfy, the consequences of so doing being what we are suffering from to-day. His assertion that putting forward the clock in summer saves over £IOO,OOO in electricity is neither probable nor capable of proof, as other factors (too numerous to even indicate) preclude the possibility of determining what part, if any, daylight saving may have had in the amount of current used. The claim that it is in the interests of health is. tor similar reasons, even more difficult of successful proof, and therefore the medical profession has very wisely refrained from endorsing the rash and confident claims of laymen that the measure is a promoter of health. On th© othsr hand, for the benefit of "those who have not sense enough to come in out of the sun." medical men have warned them of the danger of undue exposure to the summer sun. If your correspondent really believes that wealth and health can be obtained by manipulating the clock, then, of course, I can understand his failure to appreciate my reference to Nero •fiddling while Rome burned, and I can only marvel at his faith. W. Johnstone.