Feilding’s clocktower has stopped, Palmerston North’s is six minutes slow

Feilding's clocktower has been stuck on 11.44 since March 1. Photo / Judith Lacy

Twice a year – at the beginning and end of daylight saving – clocks of the non-smart variety can quickly turn into vexing devices.

As you wrestle with putting your clocks back an hour this weekend, spare a thought for people who rely on the Palmerston North and Feilding clocktowers to know the time.

Feilding’s town clock stopped on Friday, March 1, at 11.44am and it hasn’t ticked since leaving the uninformed thinking it is nearly lunchtime or way past their bedtime.

Manawatū District Council has had the local horologist (clock repairer) attempt to fix the clock without success. That expert referred the council to a Taupō horologist, a council spokeswoman said.

“The clock was assessed by that person on March 15 and they’re pretty certain they will be able to fix it. Unfortunately for us, he is currently working on the clocktower in Cambridge so is unable to come immediately. Feilding is next in line though so hopefully we will have the clock ticking in no time.”

Palmerston North’s clocktower is six minutes slow.

“We contacted someone who can repair the clock last week, and we are just waiting for them to get back to us with a time to carry out the repair,” a Palmerston North City Council spokesman said.

“The people who work on the clocktower clock do so out of passion for the timepiece and Manawatū history. They don’t request payment and they usually balance this commitment with their other full-time jobs, which means repairs don’t usually happen straight away,” he said.

“We’re really thankful for the time they dedicate to keeping our treasured clocktower operational.”

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Meanwhile, for people heading to a night shift rather than bed on Saturday, the Department of Internal Affairs has some useful information.

“If you are working when daylight saving ends and clocks go back an hour, you are entitled to any extra hours that you work. For example, if you were meant to be working from midnight to 8am, you actually work nine hours and you are entitled to be paid for nine hours of work.”

Judith Lacy has been the editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001 and this is her second role editing a community paper.