New Zealanders will move their clocks forward an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, September 27, initiating the biannual daylight saving transition that delivers one less hour of sleep, according to reports by 1News journalist Mava Moayyed. While citizens adjust household appliances, professionals like Auckland clockmaker Jamie McKinnon face the heavy logistical challenge of resetting hundreds of timepieces across shops and public towers.
The Logistics of Springing Forward in Auckland
For most people, the time change means adjusting a microwave or car dashboard. But according to 1News, Auckland clockmaker Jamie McKinnon must service more than 100 clocks inside his Precision Watch Company shop. Beyond his storefront, McKinnon is responsible for manually updating 22 public clocks located throughout Auckland and Northland. “You’ve got to climb clock towers and get access behind walls. That’s an interesting part of the job,” McKinnon told 1News, noting he repeats the grueling process in reverse when standard time resumes in April.
Health Risks and Sleep Disruption Data
While the stated purpose of daylight saving is maximizing summer evening sunlight for barbecues, sports, and recreation by shifting morning daylight hours later into the day, the transition carries documented risks. According to 1News, research links the start of daylight saving with increased occurrences of heart attacks and strokes. Furthermore, a 2020 University of Auckland study cited by 1News revealed a significant spike in road accident insurance claims during the first two days following the spring clock change due to widespread sleep deprivation.
The Origins: From George Hudson to Global Adoption
The concept of shifting summer time originated with a New Zealand entomologist. According to 1News, George Hudson proposed the idea in 1895 so he could gain extra daylight after his post office shifts to collect insects. A decade later, English builder William Willett independently promoted a similar scheme to conserve artificial lighting. Port Arthur in Canada implemented daylight saving in 1908, followed by Germany in 1916 during World War I to save fuel. New Zealand officially adopted the practice in 1927.
Why Farmers Have Historically Opposed the Clock Change
Despite a persistent myth that daylight saving was created to assist the agricultural sector, farmers have historically been among its loudest critics, according to 1News. Because livestock and crop schedules rely on natural sunlight rather than human timekeeping, shifting the clocks only complicates farming routines. To illustrate this friction, 1News reported that residents in the Northland dairy settlement of Ararua rebelled in 1984 by establishing their own unofficial “Ararua Time” to bypass the national schedule.
Did You Know?
Only about 70 countries worldwide observe daylight saving time. Nations like Russia, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, and Samoa have recently abandoned the practice entirely, while Australia remains split between states that change clocks and those that do not, according to 1News reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does daylight saving start in New Zealand?
According to 1News, clocks move forward one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, September 27.
Who invented daylight saving?
New Zealand entomologist George Hudson first proposed shifting summer clocks in 1895, according to historical accounts reported by 1News.
Do all countries observe daylight saving?
Was daylight saving made for farmers?
No. 1News notes that farmers are historically critics of the policy because agricultural work is dictated by natural sunlight and animal routines rather than official clock times.
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