DAYLIGHT SAYING BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8222, 10 September 1912, Page 8

DAYLIGHT SAYING BILL

To the Editor ,r N T .Z. Times." Sir, —I write to express my acknowledgments for your fair and reasonable

sub-leader referring to the the above Bill in. your issue of the 6th instant. The discussion on the Bill this year revealed nothing new. A suggestion was made that the proposal should apply to the towns only. To adopt such a suggestion would be simply to court failure. The whole country must bo brought into line if the scheme is to have a chance of success, and New Zealand is admirably adapted for giving effect to it. I agree with you that public opinion has not manifested itself very strongly on the subject, and more organisation and education of public opinion is required by those who believe that the proposal ie for the benefit of the community. ■ There are, however, great numbers of people by whom it will never be understood until an actual trial of the proposal is made. I note your suggestion that at first it might be tried for the three months of the year when the days are longest, namely, November, December, and January. As a matter of fact, when my Bill was in committee, in view of the opposition to it by a section of the House, I indicated that I would accept an amendment to give the proposal a three months’ I trial for one season only. The suggestion, however, was all to no purpose, although it was clear from the divisions that a majority of the members would have accepted it. My experience with this Bill has only confirmed what is common knowledge regarding public Bills in the hands of a private member; such Bills, if at , all contentions, have no chanoe of passing, even although supported by a majority of the House. Permit me again to thank you for the fairness of your comments and your valuable assistance to this movement, which must sdouer or later triumph in, some form or another which will secure for the people as a whole a more rational use of daylight during the summer months. —I am, etc., T. K. SIDEY. Wellington, September ftth.