DAYLIGHT SAVING

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10907, 7 August 1928, Page 5

DAYLIGHT SAVING

LOCAL ADOPTION SUGGESTED NOT FAVOURED BY COUNCIL Cr H. T. Dawson, at the monthly meeting of the borough council bust evening, broached the.matter of the local adoption of daylight saving during the summer inomhs. It was a question he thought the council should consider. The townspeople desired the continuation of the summertime scheme. Admittedly it was not any good to the dairy farmer, hut local daylight saving could he successfully managed in the town and it would have to be authorised by the council. Cr P. Tulloch: “Not necessarily.”

Cr Dawson pointed out that otlier towns were moving in this direction. Cr S. T. Tinney: “AA'liat about moving that tlie council approves of the principle ? That would he the easiest way.” Saturday, he thought, would have to he excluded from the scheme, as he did not thing it would work well on that day. Continuing, Cr Tinney said it was purely a matter for the .shopkeepers, and they were represented by the Chamber of Commerce. Cr F. G. Bourke: “I thiuk we ought to be directed by our legislators. They have seen fit to rulg. it out, and we should abide by that.” Cr Dawson moved that the Council consider a local daylight saving system, to be conducted on the lines of last year. Cr Tulloch considered it unworkable and impossible. For one thing the hours of the banks, post offices and railways could not he altered, and any shopkeeper who did not w r ish to fall in with the scheme need not do so. If any wished to close an hour earlier in the evening, they were at liberty to. Mr Tulloch did not consider a local daylight saving scheme in the best interests of the town.

A division was taken on Cr Dawson’s motion, the result being five all, as follows: Ayes: Crs H. T. Dawson. S. T. Tinney, P. R. Roagey, E. Harrison and A. AV. AA'hit©. Noes: The Mayor, Crs A. D. Donald, F. G. Bourke, P. Tulloch, and A. Ross.

The Mayor gave his casting vote against the motion, remarking: “A\ 7 e can’t dictate to the inhabitants of Pahiatua what they are to have. If they want daylight saving they can make th© move first.” Cr Harrison said he was surprised at th© chairman of the Chamber of Commerce’s attitude in opposing the motion.

Cr Tulloch: “My attitude is that of a councillor and not of a. member of the Chamber of Commerce. The farmers are the backbone of the country and deserve some consideration.” . Cr Dawson : “This is for the town, not the farmer ” Cr Harrison said b© had been farming for 70 years, and failed to see how daylight saving was to the detriment of the farmer. In his opinion farmers had just made, up their minds to oppose it and that was the end of it. If they only took the welfare of 'the community into consideration they would vote for the scheme.