SUMMER TIME IN AUSTRALIA.
ITo ens EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.")
S/R,—I read the Spectator article," Summer Time for Ever," with considerable interest. Tasmania is so much a terra incognita to the world at large, and has a "sleepy hollow " sort of reputation on the Australian mainland, that I desire to point out how very nearly a little island led the globe in adopting what is called Daylight Saving here. In 1915 Captain L. F. Giblin (a Labour Member) introduced a Bill to the House of -Assembly. Although favourably received, it did not become law until 1816, the clocks being altered October 1st, before which time the author of the unameuded Bill had experience of Summer Time with the A.I.F. in Europe. Australia made up its mind to adopt the novelty in a burry, all the other States falling into line with Tasmania on January 1st, 1917. But after half a summer's trial they have as quickly determined to abandon it. and there is a likelihood of Tam:made doing the same. Discussing the matter while the Bill was being framed, the only objection I bad to advance was that the alteration might result in hired farm labourers working longer hours without extra remuneration. I fancy that is so, but most record the experience of a neighbour, whose SOBS declined to rise by the clock on the ground " That isn't the real time," but always promptly " knocked off " when the passing of a coach announced five o'clock. Certainly there was a good deal of rural hostility to the novelty—opposition little better founded than the " Give us back our eleven days! " idea. There can be no question as to the benefits conferred on Tasmanian town-dwellers by the change, but I hear that it really did not prove a goad thing in the more tropical parts of Australia.—I am, Sir, Lc.,
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