The waste of daylight : text of the Daylight Saving Bill, opinions of eminent men, statement of progress to March, 1914.

  • Willett, William, 1856-1915.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The waste of daylight : text of the Daylight Saving Bill, opinions of eminent men, statement of progress to March, 1914. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Every hour so spent, makes for health and strength of body and mind. With seven hours every week of additional opportunity, the value of existing oppor- tunities, for exercise, and recreation, would be more than proportionately increased. The brief period of daylight, now at our disposal, between the hours of work and sleep, is frequently insufficient for most forms of recreation, but the daily addition of an hour after 6 o’clock in the evening, would multiply several times, the usefulness of that which we already have, and the benefits afforded by parks and open spaces would be doubled. If my proposal be adopted, those who now leave off work at 5 or 6 o’clock, will take with them the light hitherto had at 4 or 5 o’clock. On Satur- days those whose half-holiday commences at 12 or 1 o clock, will have at their disposal as much daylight, as if it now commenced at 11 or 12 o clock, respectively. By this yearly gain of 1 54 hours of useful daylight, (equivalent to 1 7 holidays of 9 hours each), every year of life will be leavened with additional gaiety. It is futile to say that these advantages can be secured by early rising. The exceptional exercise of this virtue, usually calls forth more sarcasm than admiration, or imitation. Leisure must follow, not precede, work, and earlier business hours are quite unattainable. A powerful attraction of the proposal is, that all trains, excepting those which run in connection with Continental services would continue to run in accord- ance with existing time tables. Trains which now start at 8 o clock, would continue to start at 8 by the clock, those at 9 o’clock, at 9 by the clock, and so on there would be no alteration of inland time ahles Continental train services, would require special time tables, for the period affected. For any trouble in which this may involve them, Railway