THE RIGHT TIME!

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 38, 8 November 1907, Page 7

THE RIGHT TIME!

'■■•'- :- •• — v~ — —r- ............<...; I :TtiiE' "p^SERVITdi^Y,';.AT' KElp '"- '" ..-,,: '.....'. . ''.:;.;:;: BURNE. , '.':;, - ;L!.'; ; {'.:l{; -■"•■' ' SIR,JAMES': HECTOR'S' SITE.'" V'^-2 ~.,lfcis somowhat;of a.'icoincidence. that Sir-„.i dam'e's'-'Hec'tpr should' p'ass'away just wheul''?.; "the; new'ob'seryatory that''crowns'"tli6"knoll' -'-"i at .Kol.bu'fhp'.m'"the'..'B6t'anical Gardens, 'andT?,' "■iyitliin/a stone's" throw- of -the -ki6sk,"iß.'o'n'-""T: the point of completion. Thoro'has'.been "a'.''ui : , spasmodic-agitation fpr-.a- properly-situated; ™'# properly-equipped time" - observatory v iii-Wel- - • ■•■ the' ! of 'a century,-'-'- V.'-! but upfo/.^ 'more.or l'ess.Ma make-shift,' a.nd''neyer, saf>'"•'"'; -is factoryrto- thosß concerned •with astror,-. - : ;- : ■ nomical ■■> observation; ;>i • About ■ : twenty' year's-; ,--'■; •ugq tholate'Sir-'James-Hector-became inter-* "'i psted'.'iii the subject,'bud' te Tccpmrnended'to'-"-;"-; ,thq Goyeriiment '(and it' is. said'. the : Gov--- '■-■>■} cr.nmont.'.ajiprpycd)..'that- jhp. . observatory/;.'''; S.hqujd- ,bo: erected; on ort.wjthin;a il fe'iy: yards. ~;.„ of thd'sitc-whero"'stands-to-day thernow ob- ;v.\ ''sei'vatbry' iriUts'position;'■,,.;: .overlooking' the'city aiid harbourMn those''•■:■•'•','! ..days' 'thp sitq" ; was'.'.Siberia. '.-•Thcro',' was' lib' : "-'~ : .house niuchj,lugher'thaii-fcliftou Terrace.on';/!; i.tho i-western^Jhills,, jind,. that corner of. the'.'.;'.;.' ?'B"ota ! hical i -Gaftlens.'VAvas :.sii„bush-manuka--.;-'■• c,ovore'd T *'wa"st6.. 3 A'"'fairy wand- has. passedvv* aire' tho' habitations- "■- of iman^iriyeryyi'licr'Q.,'and,.backyards butt up.''-''■■;. against,..Jhoj-former the .gardens;""^' wliilo ; ';ai':few--yiirds.:away-;tho - engines, of .a ,'v rj : 'nig ■po'*errhouse.:thio\)"(.night and day, PUI-'.y.-/' ■'ilug tired -people up., to.'their' hilly hohios. ,''.^<j ; ;: ■• ",*}?''■ . ; ,,.,Scie'nce /> ,traVels with-•populationy-.-and tno:x'i. jbhscrvatory'vlias at\ lasb!-ar) - ived--on'.the-- ■■■„ ..Sir! Jaliffls Hector ■ckbsa-for-'.it. so-many years . ';,-. ,'ago.;-The' building is''now , fmished'.v'lt is..-;,!,-" npt itn is-very-' substantially ■-'_'.> .built;.lindlwill"servo.' the,, "fdr : manykyeafs t6> conie.C "The observatory,■.:.„.'■, 3s a 'circular; buildingi.'of. cement'-and-'bripk,::-,-.-.;'.": ;surmounted' byi-au r, octagonalt-tower, i-froih'v- : ; ; , which,,pointi,of.i-.vantag'o ithorstarry heavons.■'....Hiay..be>.tclescopically sw.ep.t'in search-of .the ::'...j.' to.timer v •*■-;) ;'•,?'. ':o fSd-X, yi„ a-:iyfi)~.f>.fi ■■ i./ ■-~.;-.'. -.r,-;,, ? .v fr..\ < i> (( ,|,,.i,v The' Art of the.A'strdhomer.-.V: >' ,-j.-i- •,-,-,;; '\.'To^<4s^fphj)my M Inipwledge exac? 'timq.';' The' hiarmer,'raided-by' an ek-'■'''"'••:■■' 'pose'd ..suiiTaiid .a'"'sextant,' is'»abte'. to get"'" ! !•• •very;'iiear';tllp "right-; but to be';proi-" , ri;'i ; hisely ; oxact-'^ii^has u ;Vo turn to; the'aswoni ! '»->V3 ■b'mer.- ! Tri"the'case' of "Wellington,, the'a*.- 5-.':.y .t'rohdmer ;is.'Mr'.' T.''jKihg,.,a;gSnt!enian\ I wh6'; | 'i''.; 'js iiibdeiit',tfr'H'.dcgr(;e'',if-',it;'comes l -,to'an ex-; 1 ?-;''.' liibition" of •"tho«e'-'talerit's'' ; 'which "enable hira ; 7'ii. to carry-' out'"tiio duiaes"; of Government A& ;-" ti-ono'^nVfcWl''Observe;'for-'Mt.'' King ; i;is . npt'tr»;i ;a s Government'employee' in 'the -strict, sense «'■•■;' of 'the •terni'/ as'his regular- employ iMessi'S'; Levin 1 Slid' 'Company, :bUt ''the' elASßi.'.'-'j-'" of ithe'day' Vit,h"'hmi"'doo's':'nqt'Utfcan a'iazy. '.■' ; :' i couch.'and'a good 1 book, for; if-'tho'knight 'ba.'.'-'.-v: clear,"ho" is !, wifch ■ his'jbcloved - telescopes i seck-i>>- -■'■, ing out-tho 'ing ortt' all •mariners.'! -:;- i, who'>p(it' ; to T "voyages—and W'ol&i, /'. jingtoni is the principal port of departure for,v:.;,-v \ f leop-sea -.>craft~may « adjust" their chronionv-. - .'•'; ,eters,"-t6;-a' nicety, ;aii'd'-So;bo:in:'.a:pqsition;.toi:;-.-v. :iflajfd:.a , faiiv'reckoningr' , That;-m''hricf'-isr-tlie; ; :'., - .r. .function'i-of i.the 'new-;- observatory • ■;,-; burne, :> inside.-'Xvhieh • are brick - and • .conieut.-.- : .'pedestals-'Sunk. dl!ep!ilo\vn...in...the earth,t,6 ~-,„;, .tjiq solid'rocli' (o be'independent!, qf,,:.-..'; any support but .that' ''afforded "by Mother -;•;<•; 'Kartli-J'-'Whieliv'iiro to--receive the.;finoly^adr-,.,." i'ustedi.cloclvs, tli'o hiuuls':,of, which iha.Vc,com,-',.,.„" 'niuiiioi|„>.ith. tlio stars, .:.' ..; :-„-.:. .-';;',:.'.

: The "Standard"' Clock,V',.. 1 -' ~,r,../. \r-M.-.'<%~,\ .[.,, Tliero"is''bno';jilbck!tbat"stflrids put-alriong','; , all;other/ cltibK'S'.jiv-; the 'observatory—that 'is. Jiifi tho fataftcknl clock. ; " As.'dolicate' inMts mccV l '.';:•';. hanis'm'' humttn-frame, 'and'as 'sorisi-'•'''-' ~tjvo; "to" iirnucncesv it is/'almost"•a' I 'sacred''^.' ; ;: .tliihg.- J,l lts face does -not'-slime-amprv;'tha.vi-v'. ethers-""-in the--' -ordinary': clock-room.-:'- ■•-': Noil.■■"-'It 1 - is"=in a ",h6ly "of ''lio-lies J'.V'i/;-'-underneath ■■ .the; ground?;_ in'j-;>.'" an old--"gun-pit ■; at • present, r •but--' 'soon.<--•■/; to- liavo- iu special -vault-' of. its ■ own'; ' ..'• This clock is-bnriod; in this .mysterious .maiir..'•:-.: '-'J. -nor for-a purpose; 1 ' as; all readers wiH,guess;'::"'.'\ and .that reason is- to keep- itiimihuuG,-: »s>:s.--.'fa'vl ias.,is.. possible,-ironi ,6ft' Ki contraction.:caused ,by heat or: cold,: and best j'osult. is in a deep vault;-- V-' ■At". -Berlin -and Philadelphia;,-: marvellous „■'' '.'.'\' precautions aro taken":to keep the, tempera-.y;. . .tiu;oj.as icqunj: as ..'possible.!.in-.the Standard.,p'lock yiiiilt.': Thorn. - the - clobks—tho finest'".. in the wbrkb-iirq kept in ) air-i)roof-..casfls iiV.jl:,': vaults,-,the, tompcraturo ~o.f which does; n0t.',;,., vary -more than a dogrco : ,alk the fypar! round."'.' ;'_ .The.'ißlgtii.Time.. ...'.,.'' .; , ''.',.,,„."..",!'.,..'.':...' ,:■ People'do riot know- 1 it-; hut--it ; is- never .--V |-tho right time in Wellington. It is-like >'•:- this;- The Domihioii'of 'Now Zealand is: too '" narrow to - have moro' than one timo—-the ;.'.',.', United; States of'■■■ America -has four—so a'v •;- incnii' is- taken, .and that-mean, is a lino.•■-.-. drawn north and south that passes between,, ..; 1 jyttcltoir.—nind''"- Christchurcli. , ; > -Wellington- 1 - 1 .,' if the-reader Owill "observe'tho - their east tliah L'yttelton, so must bo always-,, a little hit ahead of.-mean time,; which,fact;.,.': need riot -cause 'anyone to<'iriiss">any -stoop;' ■■'■■•■ - ■•Diirryi'-tho.'.'liWb:.i right, npi and,-one-sees -at; ;-.'..': f'-. glancel.linw.cibssly'..incorrect .the time' is..'.:, . at ,Gisbprno'.(t-lirous;h-.its adoption l 'of New ;- -'/jealuiul moan time) —somo twenty-five.inin-> •-V ule's.out.; In, this.connection.:it;is interest-,. :.'.' ing; tq' nptp, that there are two distinct times , observed in one town in New South Wales—'-'-' at Broken Hi 11,., Broken Hill.is a weary way :':.,-. west,,.of. f Sydney; so,far t]tat..,no;,train' run's,.' , f-hat wiry, i,lt is : -tapped- byauoxtonsion of-. " the South Australian Service, and while, ono ■ half,!,t||o,.. town ,qbsoryes Adelaide timo, the '". :.'■ .other—th'n Government Qhiccs, etc.—adhere''„ '.'„'.[■ to jSyiluey., Adelaide is noarost sidereal-' '.'•' time,, but;'[neither.is correct, for. every town"""-' h'tis .ii,,'timo 7 tif -its -own. In tho-meantime,,'.'"!> .Dominion, of. Now Zealand is a, ' . ,;' moati' fcitfic; and Win Wellington'arc ahead r • of the timo.