WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

SUMMER. TIME,

BACKING FOR. -MB SIDEY

(Special to “ Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON, July 22. Wellington generally is not displaying any great interest in the l'ate of Mr Sidev’s Summer Time Bill. Tire political capital is a curiously apathetic place concerning tho proceedings of Parliament. There is, however, an earnest and active minority in the city bent on securing the rational “daylight saving” system established in the Old Country and it is receiving 'wholehearted support from influential sources. The “Dominion” this morning puts in a word for Mr Sidey’s Hill which is bound to weigh with hesitating politicians. “There is,” it says, after dealing with what has been done in England, “ no inconvenience ,to anyone and no re-adjustment of anything is required. The hour change in the clocks and watches is the only change made. Farmers complained lor a while because of the effect that changed milking-time might have, but they have adapted themselves to the reform, and it can now be said with confidence that summer time in Britain is firmly established with the general consent of the people. There is no sound reason that we can see why the principle should not be applied to this Dominion.” For ten years the English Act had a. currency of only twelve months and had to he renewed each session. That was the country’s traditional conservatism., But last year it was made a permanent measure and is never likely to be removed from the British Statute Book. A DOCTOR’S VIEWS.

In the course of an interview on the, subject with a representative of the “ Post ” yesterday Dr W. E. Herbert spoke with very special authority. “This question,” he said, “must be considered first, hist and all the time from the point of view of the health of the people of the larger and more congested areas. 'Wherever this Summer Time, change has been inaugurated, a distinct improvement in the health of the people has been noted by medical authorities. Quite recently, Sir Arthur Newshohne, recognised as one of the greatest public health authorities of "recent times, has remarked on the pronounced improvement in the health of the growing generation, even in the short time that it has been in force in England. From the very earliest history of medicine, the healing and curative properties of the sun’s rays have been recognised. On tho continent of Europe heliotherapy is extensively practised. By that is meant tho subjecting of delicate, rickety, or tubercular children to the curative properties of the sun’s rays, and tho results have been extraordinary. Some years ago Dr Ada Paterson, Director of School Hygiene, travelled through the continent of Europe, and returned to New Zealand with pictures showing these results, and, largely due to her knowledge and enthusiasm, sunshine is not now excluded from children’s class-rooms.” Here surely is an effective reply to the denunciation of Mr Sidey’s proposal by the County Council’s Association. HEADING SUNSHINE.

“Til this country,” Mr Herbert com tinned, “ probably no one lias done more for tbc health of the people than Sir Truliy, King. Right through nil his propaganda sunshine has been his sheet, anchor. He demands that his Karitanc homes should as far as possible be situated on hills, and that the patients should have the full healing benefit of .the maximum amount of sunshine. One of the finest things the Education Department has done in recent years is in the direction of the construction of primary schools to allow of the maximum amount of sunshine being admitted to the scholars, and in Christchurch, thanks largely to that eminent authority, Dr Blackburn, open-air schools have been successfully established. Tt may be said without any exaggeration that every hour of sunshine we give to our children and young adults, by that amount we lessen their chances of developing infective and most other diseases. Now, who are the people who are going to derive the real benefit of Dus movement? Undoubtedly the young boys and girls who work behind counters, in offices, or in trades where the maximum amount of sunshine is not possible. Personally, I have not the shadow of a doubt that the extra hour of sunshine will in hundreds of cases mean all the difference between health and happiness on the one hand and disease on the other.” THE OBJECTORS.

Tile objection of the County Councils Association to Air Sidev’s Bill was that it would seriously interfere with the work of the primary producers and that in addition to offering great inconvenience they would lie involved in heavy monetary loss. The speakers at the Association’s recent conference could not explain how nil this would but presumably they assumed that the producers would be compelled to milk their cows an hour or two earlier than they do at present and feed their hens an hour or two later. But it lias been demonstrated in the Mother Country beyond all possible, doubt that moving on the clock in sun® mer time does not inconvenience the producers in the slightest degree. The objection that it would, was raised there as it is being raised here, but in practice daylight ' saving -has been found as beneficial to the farmers as it has been to other members of the community. This being the case in Eng- : land, where huge quantities of produce are moved by train and lorry every day, ft is ridiculous to suggest that one-thirtieth of the amount of transport could not be effected here without inconvenience to anyone. There still is a J'eeliiig abroad that Afr Sidey’s Bill will meet with strong opposition in the Legislative Council, but the prospect of it ultimately passing appears to he hotter than it was a week ago.