CALENDAR REFORM,

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18359, 19 June 1931, Page 5

CALENDAR REFORM,

THE PRESENT SITUATION. LEAGUE OF NATIONS STUDY. CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER. In view of the widespread interest in the question of calendar reform and of the fact that the subject _ is on the agenda of the League Transit Conference next October, it may be useful to give a brief account of the present situation.

■Before the foundation of the League of Nations, the reform of the Gregorian calendar was a matter of frequent discussion. It was in 1923, on the suggestion of the Dutch member of the League of Nations Advisory Commiltec for Communications and Transit, that the League decided to appoint a special committee to ascertain the state of public opinion on the desirability of simplyfying the calendar.

Considerable material was collected by this special committee and a great number of reform schemes, emanating from the most varied 'sources and* countries, were received. These schemes were classified into three main groups. The committee did not decide in favour of any one group to the exclusion of the others, nor did it even decide that any reform should be introduced into the present Ccilendar. It considered that, before there could be any international examination of the question, it was necessary to institute a more complete study among the representatives of the circles concerned within the individual countries. i

For the purpose, therefore, of discovering whether and in what form pub lie opinion in each country holds calendar reform to be desirable and possible, national committees of enquiry, composed of persons representative of Hie chief interests involved, have been constituted in virtually every country. The procedure of most national committees has been to issue questionnaires, particularly to economic and social interests, with a view to ascertaining their views’ as to the expediency of fixing what are at at present movable feasts and of simplifying the Gregorian calendar. National committees were requested to embody the results of their enquiries In reports to be submitted to the League before the end of April, 1931. Such reports have already been received from France, Italy and die United Slates of America.

Preparatory Work. Acting on the instructions of the Assembly of the League, the Advisory and Technical Committee has included in the agenda of the fourth general conference on communications and transit —a conference which takes place every four years and is composed of Government representatives, assisted by experts—the question of "tiie examination of the expediency, from an economic and social standsimplifying the Gregorian calendar." point, of fixing movable feasts and of The conclusions of national committees will be taken as a basis of discussion at this conference, which meets in Geneva in October next. In order that a comprehensive report might be submitted to Governments some time before the conference, it was decided to convene a preparatory committee, composed of persons appointed by the advisory committee, who would frame this report, after having heard the representatives of any organisations thn! might wish to supply it with information. This preparatory committee will meet in the early part of June. The conference will probably be called upon to place on record, in a Protocol, the opinions of the Government representatives on the question and such measures as the conference might contemplate with a view to giving effect to iis decisions. It is in this way that all nations, speaking through the agency of their national committees, will have the opportunity, in October of this year, of expressing their opinion on the advisability of changing the present calendar and, if so, in what planner and at what time.