Page:Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute - Volume 1 (2nd ed.).djvu/486

452 The difference from Greenwich mean time of each, of the above average meridians, is—

The object being to establish one time for the whole colony, the adoption of which will cause the least inconvenience, the author recommended that the meridian of 172° 30′ east be taken, for the following reasons:—

1st. It is a close approximation to the average longitude for the colony.

2nd. The absolute longitude of any place in the colony has not yet been determined; and it is therefore better for a statute to adopt a meridian as basis, than an approximate longitude for a place which might hereafter require rectification.

3rd. Longitude 172° 30′ east is 11h. 30m. east of Grreenwich; and being an even number, will be most suitable for the purpose of enabling mariners to compare the errors of their chronometers on mean Grreenwich time; while the adoption of the mean time of place for any town or port in the colony will have no practical advantages.

The following table shows the correction required to reduce the time for meridian 172° 30′ to the mean time at the various ports; and the correction for any other place can at once be found by adding or subtracting four seconds for every minute of longitude the place lies east or west of 172° 30′.

The time could, as at present, be determined at Wellington by the meridian transit, as it will be most convenient that the time-balls at the different ports should be dropped at 1 p.m. of the adopted statute time, which for Wellington would be at 1 h. 9 m. 11.5 sec. mean time of place. By providing the telegraph office clocks with two minute hands, indicating