DAYLIGHT SAVING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14839, 17 February 1919, Page 9

DAYLIGHT SAVING.

.&» — . ADVOCACY BY SOITSNTISTS. A discussion on daylight saving was led by Dr. Adams, Government Astronomer, "at the Science Congress, Christchurch. He considered it would be & good move if they couldi persuade the Government to advance the time in the Dominion one half-hour all the yen* round, thus making New Zealand time exactly 12 hours ahead of Greenwich mean time, inste-ad of ll£ hours, as at present. Dr. Adams stated that this would help astronomers considerably in their calculations. He was a great believer in the rights of minorities, however, and if any such change were made the people in any geographical centre should have the Tight to say at what time they would commence work. This had been done in Wellington in the public service, jwhere employees for some time past had come to work at 8.30 a m and left off at 4.30 p.m. Dr. C. C. Fair said! that he did not think a change should be made solely because it would be of advantage to astronomers. The position at present was that our day was not symmetrical. Our business day was from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., that is, lour hours passed before the middle of the day, and five after it. It would be better if they could regulate the day so as to have four and a-half hours before and four and a.-half hour.*: after the middle of the daylight period. The speaker said that he was in Australia- during the daylight-saving period, and suffered no inconvenience owing to it. . Mr. H. B. Tripp Said that in any such change as that proposed the people" to be considered were those who would suffer most. If the time were advanced the people in Otago and Southland would suffer. '• They would have to commence work in darkness. He would prefer to see the time altered the other way about. If a change were made it should be made for the whole Dominion. A letter was read from' Mr. Sidey. M.P., urging Congress to support the proposal, and adducing arguments in favor of it.. ' Dr. Chilton said, while daylight saving had been, a success in fairly high latitudes, it was less satisfa-ctoryeach degree farther* south. ,It was decided to recommend. Congress to urge upon the Government the importance of altering the standard time from 11^ hours to 12 hours in advance of Greenwich mean time, the motion being carried by six votes to three.