DAYLIGHT SAVING

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1928, Page 6

DAYLIGHT SAVING

SAMOA THINKS IT OVER

APIA. November 9

Like New Zealand. Samoq is at present interested in the daylight saving question, and a petition is being circulated which, when signed by a sufficient number of residents, will he presented to his Excellency the Administrator for consideration. The proposal is for the clock to be advanced only half an hour, but in a country where to a certain extent daylight saving is already indulged in. this extra peiiod of daylight should lie sufficient for most needs.

At present business houses in Apia open at 8 a.m. have two hours’ siesta at mid-day, and close variously nt -I and 5 p.m. Were it not for the twohour mid-day interval, there would really he no need or question of daylight* saving, but this rest period during the strongest heat < I the day is so well established that there is little prospect of it being shortened, in favour of earlier closing. Conseq ently there is only one thing to do. and that is rise earlier. Jins will certainly ho no hardship m Samoa, for toe eaily hours of the morning are the coolestand most refreshing part of the day. Once the sun has risen it does not take long for the streets to become unpleasr antTv heated, hut verandahs and balconies are delightfully cool till about 8

Until about 4 p.m. there is no noticeable diminution of the heat of the day, but from then on it gradually becomes cooler, and tennis and golf can ho played without becoming uncomfortably hot.

In tin* evening Samoa is delightful, and the cooler atmosphere amply atones for the sometimes terrific heat of the day. All Apia comes out at night and walks along the bench front, or drives along some of the beautiful roads in the vicinity of the town. Out of doors is the general rule. Consequently any move which will make the evenings longer will he fully appreciated by the European population.

As far as the plantations are concerned. daylight saving will make little difference, as in most of them the best hours of the day for working are already fully availed independent of time. * In any case, the Chinese and black labour used on most of them is quite capable of working in Samoa’s strongest heat with apparently no ill effects.

To the Samoan, who works or plays as -lie pleases, daylight saving will make no difference. Time is no object to him, and he can sleep in the day as comfortably as he can at night; on moonlight nights the Samoans do not seem lo go to bed at all. hut dance and sing as long as they please. As far as they are concerned, time is merely an artificial division of the day, a,,d as they eat. sleep or work as the impulse moves, the hour is of little importance. Generally, then, daylight saving should he all to the good in Samoa, and the move is likely to receive plenty of support. There are hardly any con'■eivable grounds for opposition dairy fanning is only in its infancy in Samoa -so orobablv at the next meeting of the Legislative Council tbe petition will stand every chance of receiving favourable consideration.