DAYLIGHT SAVING.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19117, 30 November 1933, Page 7

DAYLIGHT SAVING.

PROVISION FOR EXTENSION INTRODUCTION OF BILL. LEGISLATION ALREADY ON FILE. (Times Parliametary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The fact that amending legislation had been drafted as far back as twelve months ago was disclosed by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. J. A. Young, when speaking during the introductory stages of the Summer Time Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives this afternoon. The Bill provides for approximately seven weeks extra daylight saving. Summer time will now commence on the last Sunday in September, and end on the last Sunday in April. Under the present law daylight starts on the second Sunday in October and finishes on the third Sunday in March. Mr R. McKeen (Labour— Wellington South), who congratulated the Government and the Minister on bringing down the measure, recalled that he had Introduced a Bill extending summer-time, but had withdrawn it in the committee stages in view of a statement by the Minister that it was the Government’s intention to Introduce legislation dealing with the matter. It was pretty obvious, added Mr McKeen, that the Government had its ear to the ground and was sounding public opinion when his Bill had been before the House. Creldt for Legislation. It was also obvious that the Government did not Intend to allow a private member to get such a Bill through the House lest he should receive credit for it. Nevertheless, he was not seeking any honour for the part he had played: At the same time he could not see what there was to have prevented the Minister moving an amendment to his Bill. That would have been a muoh more courteous oourse to have taken. In his Bill he proposed to commence daylight saving ‘at the same time as at present, whereas the Government’s Bill provided for a commencement of summer-time about a fortnight sooner. With that exception the Bills were the same. Mr Young; Your Bill provided for an hour of summertime, Mr MoKeen: That was not a correct statement of the position. It was true that his Bill as originally introduced provided for one hour of summer-time but in view of objections raised by several members he had given an assurance that he would reduce the hour to thirty minutes per, day as at present, and simply extend the period of the operation of daylight saving. He had actually prepared the neoessary amendment, when the Minister Intimated that the Government itself Intended Jo. proceed .with .a measure. ' - ",V". ”... '' • . “Not an Afterthought. Mr Young said his predecessor in office twelve months ago had actually prepared a Bill, but for some reason it was not. introduced. Mr McKeen would see by that the action of the Government was not by any means an afterthought. The Bill was actually prepared and on the departmental file. A Member: You apparently did not know about it then. Mr Young said that that was so. He had been asked by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, to take charge of the matter, and when he came to make inquiries he found a Bill was already on the file. However, he did not wish to deprive Mr McKeen of any credit due to him. The Bill was read a first time.