15 DECEMBER 1967, Page 27

Times out of joint

Sir: In the SPECTATOR of 1 December J. W. M. Thompson describes melancholically and resignedly under the heading `Times out of joint' the dire consequences of an arbitrary and nonsensical piece of proposed legislation. The extension of British Standard Time over the whole year by the then Home Secretary, the present incumbent of No. 11 Downing Street, will inflict dire hardship on many, especially the elderly, in winter time, which is all the more regrettable as its purported main reason, i.e. to harmonise our clocks with Europe's, has since been utterly discredited.

Mr Thompson cites many of its disadvantages to which I wish to add the increased burden on the NHS due to colds, influenzas, etc contracted Whilst waiting for trains and buses which never seem to come in the icy winds and fogs of the winter's night. Many more disadvantages will ensue, such as lost working hours, disrupted transport and so on, to avoid which would, for once, indebt us all to the present holder of this office, Mr. J. Callaghan. Any means to this end are justified and I support wholeheartedly your paper in this endeavour.