234 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[July 
6. As the time meridian passes nearly through Lincoln, Canterbury, a reference 
to the map will show that the whole of the North Island and a considerable part of the 
South Island lie to the east of the present time meridian. If the proposal to alter the 
time meridian from 172° 30' east to 180° east is given effect to, then the whole of New 
Zealand will be to the west of the time meridian, which condition corresponds closely 
to that of the United Kingdom, of South Africa, and of South Australia. 
7. Most workshops and offices would be enabled to open and close in winter within 
the hours of daylight, while in the summer an additional half-hour would be available 
in the evening for outdoor work or recreation. It is already the practice of many farmers, 
sawmillers, engineers, surveyors, and others to keep the clock fast on New Zealand time 
in order to take advantage of the daylight in winter-time. 
It might be objected that the more westerly and southerly towns, such as Inver¬ 
cargill, would be adversely affected. This would not be the case, however, as is evident 
from an inspection of the table given below. It is further ty be noted that Invercargill 
bears the same relation to the new time meridian as does Cape Town to its time meridian, 
each town being about 46 m. west of the time meridian. 
The suggestions contained herein relate to one permanent alteration of the clock 
by which an additional half-hour of daylight will be obtained every afternoon. 
A proposal to put the clock on an hour for the sumner months and to change back 
again for the winter is not recommended, for many of the advantages referred to above 
would not be gained by an alteration in summer only. 
Briefly, the contentions in favour of the alteration are as follows :— 
(1.) Direct saving in all lighting of half an hour daily, as well as a saving in capital 
expenditure on plant and machinery. 
(2.) Conformity with International Time Agreement for exact hours different from 
Greenwich. 
(3.) Ease of conversion of times between New Zealand, United Kingdom, and other 
countries, with less liability of error. 
(4.) Method already in practical use at the Hector Observatory, Wellington. 
(5.) Precedents of (a) South Africa, (6) Ireland. 
(6.) Whole of North Island and part of South Island are slow on New Zealand time. 
Alteration would bring New Zealand into line with the United Kingdom. 
(7.) Direct benefits to the individual in reduction of period for using artificial light 
in the workshop, office, and home. 
Table showing Times of Sunrise, Sunset, and Useful Daylight for certain 
Places in New Zealand. 
— 
Invercar¬ 
gill. 
Dunedin. 
; 
Christ¬ 
church. 
Welling¬ 
ton. 
Napier. 
Auckland. 
Latitude, south 
46° 26' 
45° 52' 
43° 32' 
41° 17' 
39° 29' 
36° 53' 
Longitude, minutes of time W. 
of 180° meridian 
46|- m. 
38 m. 
29|- m. 
21 m. 
12 m. 
21 m. 
Midwinter, June 22— 
h. m. 
h. m. 
h. m. 
h. m. 
h. m. 
h. m. 
Daylight begins .. 
7 56 
7 46 
7 30 
7 16 
7 02 
7 05 
Sunrise 
8 30 
8 19 
8 02 
7 46 
7 32 
7 33 
Sunset 
5 06 
5 00 
5 00 
4 59 
4 56 
5 12 
Daylight ends 
5 41 
5 34 
5 32 
5 30 
5 25 
5 40 
Midsummer, December 21— 
Daylight begins . . 
4 11 
4 06 
4 09 
4 11 
4 09 
4 28 
Sunrise 
4 50 
4 44 
4 44 
4 44 
4 41 
4 58 
Sunset 
8 40 
8 29 
8 11 
7 55 
7 40 
7 41 
Daylight ends 
9 19 
9 07 
8 47 
8 28 
8 12 
• 
8 11 
The times of sunrise and sunset are for the first and last appearance of the sun’s 
edge, taking refraction into account. Daylight is assumed to begin or end when the 
sun’s centre is 6° below the horizon. Its duration before sunrise or after sunset is 
about one-third that of twilight. 
All times are New Zealand mean time on the basis of 12 hours east of Greenwich. 
To find the corresponding times for the present system of civil time subtract 30 minutes. 
D. M. Y. Sommerville, Convener. 
Wellington, New Zealand, 3rd July, 1917. 
