Daylight saving starts this weekend

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New Zealanders will soon be able to say goodbye to dark, wintry evenings spent huddled at home now that daylight savings is fast approaching.

The Department of Internal Affairs is reminding people to put their clocks forward an hour when daylight savings kicks in this Sunday at 2am.

It suggests people put their clocks forward before going to bed on Saturday to avoid any inconvenience.

The extra hour of daylight in the evenings runs until Sunday, April 3.

The department also says daylight savings is an "opportune time" for people to check their household emergency plans, survival kits and smoke alarms.

New Zealand moved to an extended period of daylight savings in 2007.

- NZPA