A reader recently suggested that daylight saving be extended by two weeks in March and another week in November. Perhaps the reader did not realise that children go back to school in the first week of October and by mid-October most of them are leaving home in the dark to catch their transport to school in the morning. Therefore we would be extending this period by another two weeks. As for retailing benefits, as far as I know shops still close at 7 p.m. in summer. For one to have a decent time to shop around - especially in the afternoon - one has to leave home at 4 p.m. when the sun is still at its strongest, as it will be actually 3 p.m.

Another point which may not have occurred to environment watchers is that by this extension of daylight hours, people would be using their cars earlier in the morning and later in the evening. And thus the fumes start gathering to fill our lungs earlier in the day and for a longer period!

Let us be prudent and not overstretch the day as God intended it to be.