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Wellington, September 29, 2018
Daylight saving time starts in New Zealand tomorrow, Sunday, September 30, 2018.
Clocks will go forward by one hour, with 2 am becoming 3 am.
Daylight saving time will continue until the first Sunday of April 2019, when clocks will go back by one hour so that 3 am becomes 2 am.
Seamless transition
Many New Zealanders will experience a seamless transition, with modern electronic devices adjusting automatically. However, less modern devices may need to be adjusted manually. People may wish to adjust their clocks an hour forward before going to bed tonight- Saturday, September 29, 2018.
While adjusting your clocks and other devices, it is also a good time to check your emergency plans, survival kits and smoke alarms.
Background History
Daylight saving was introduced in 1927, however the dates and times were changed several times over the following years.
During the mid-1940s, New Zealand Standard Time was advanced permanently by half an hour, and daylight saving time was effectively discontinued. This lasted until 1974, when an advance of one hour in summer was reintroduced.
Protest over change
Dairy farmers were up in arms over the idea of having to milk cows in the dark, and parents with young children worried about getting them to sleep while it was still light.
The small Northland town of Ararua, home to many dairy farmers, went so far as to ignore the new time when the rest of New Zealand switched to daylight saving time.
Locals erected a sign announcing that visitors to the area needed to adjust their clocks back by an hour.
Majority approval
A Survey conducted in 2008 found that 82% of New Zealanders approved of the 2007 extension to the period of Daylight saving time.
The rationale for changing the time over the summer months is that more sunlight hours will fall in the early morning if standard time is applied year round.
In Summer, these early morning sunlight hours are seen as being wasted as many people are asleep at that time. If the sunlight hours are shifted to the evening, by way of daylight saving time, they are more useful.
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Image from Internal Affairs Website and RNR Realty International
