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APPENDIX. Thb following letters were Deceived by the Clerk of the Summer Time Hill Committee and. read :- Main Road, Karori, 21st August, 1924. The Chairman, Summer Time Bill Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. Sib, — The following resolution was passed by the Wellington Suburbs Farmers' Association :— "That the Wellington Suburbs Farmers' Association strongly protests against the introduction of the proposed Summer Time Bill, as it is not in the interests of the farming community and would tend to make agricultural life even less attractive than it is at present.'* Yours faithfully, R. Isaacs, Secretary, Wellington Suburbs Farmers' Association. Stoke, Nelson, 15th August, 1921. To the Chairman, Daylight-saving Bill, Mouse of Representatives, Wellington. Dkaii Sir, — I understand from the newspapers that the above proposed Bill is under consideration, and that your Committee is hearing evidence as to its merits and demerits. I do not know whether I am in order in writing to you upon the subject, but if it is permitted may I be allowed to point out some of the results the proposed Bill will have upon the orchard industry especially. In shearing, harvesting, and haymaking the facts are too evident of its injurious effects. In regard to the orchardist, from October to December spraying operations are carried on every fourteen days. It is imperative, of course, that trees should be dry before the sprays are applied. Under present conditions, owing to a slight shower or heavy dew, it is often impossible to start work before 9or 10 a.m., or even later. So-many hours of sunlight and warmth are necessary before starting work. Under the proposed Bill the position would lie still further aggravated. In regard to the picking of fruit, from December on the same applies. Hands arrive at S a.m. and arc unable to start work because of the moisture still upon the fruit. Again so-many hours of sunlight are necessary. Any delay in picking may have, and often has, serious consequences upon the grower, as lie is entirely dependent upon the weather for the harvesting of his year's work. The proposed Bill makes the position of the man on the land still more difficult, and yet we are asked for production and still more production. 1 could, sir, amplify more arguments against the proposed measure, but I must confine myself to this one. item of production—fruitgrowing- and ask, sir. that our position and industry may not be hampered and hindered and our expenses unnecessarily increased by this proposed change. I have, &c, C. W. Pitts Brown. Marine Department, Wellington, 22nd August, 1924 The Chairman, Select Committee on Daylight-saving Bill, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. Dear Sir, — I forward hereVith a report which has been prepared by Captain Hooper, Nautical Adviser, relative to the effect of the Daylight-saving Bill, if passed, in various places in New Zealand. A graph which illustrates the matter accompanies the report, and, if desired, 1 shall be glad to arrange for Captain Hooper to give further explanation. Yours faithfully, (J. (!. (Jodkkkv, Secretary. Nautical Adviser's Offioe, Wellington, 19th July, 1921. .Memorandum for the Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington. lie. Summkr Time. 1. 'I.'iik fact of using prescribed seasonal times such as a summer time in the older countries has not beqn found to affect navigators in any way, and if the summer time is adopted within the Dominion it will not in any way affect the navigation of either local or visiting vessels : but if the summer time is adopted it will be necessary for this Department to issue a Notice to Mariners drawing attention to the fact. 2. The proposal to adopt a prescribed seasonal time to be used for summer only, and to make no provision for winter, would appear to be for the purpose of satisfying the enjoyment side of the community's lift' only ; whereas what is much more important from an industrial efficiency point of view is to endeavour to adjust the restricted available daylight working-hours of winter so as to suit the requirements of the generally accepted working-hours of the people, (in investigating the official sunrise and sunset tables for Wellington and Auckland, which are computed and published by me annually in the " Nautical Almanac," it will be seen that in midwinter at Wellington it is daylight forty-three minutes before working-hours commence at 8 a.m.. and that work ceases at 5 p.m., thirty minutes after daylight has passed, showing that at midwinter a portion of the usual working-hours at Wellington is performed after sunset, and therefore must be performed with the aid of artificial illumination. This is most uneconomical, and could, in the ease of Wellington at least, be avoided by a winter-time adjustment by slightly advancing the clock. This would allow of all work at this plaoe being performed within the limits of sunrise and sunset during tin; winter months. At Auckland in midwinter daylight ceases eighteen minutes before 5 p.m.. and work commencing at 8 a.m. has allowed fifty-six minutes of daylight to pass by. This also is uneconomical. I have not had much time to investigate the conditions affecting the southern towns, whore, owing to geographical location, advantages and disadvantages of seasonal times might be found to be of larger dimensions.