ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28284, 23 May 1957, Page 14

ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Procession To Be Held

A short procession will be arranged in Christchurch on Friday morning, May 31, by the Christchurch Metropolitan Road Safety Committee to the official opening of its special road safety campaign. The campaign will be opened by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) at the Godley plot in Cathedral square after a traffic pause for a minute at 11.30 a.m. in the inner city area. The campaign will last two weeks. The suggestion for such a procession was made at last evening’s meeting of the committee by Mr E. B. Curtis (Institute of Opticians). The suggestion was adopted by the committee, and permission to hold the procession was obtained from the traffic committee of the Christchurch City Council, which also met last evening. R.N.Z.A.F. Band Sought The procession will leave the City Council Chambers in Manchester street some time before 11.30 a.m., and will be headed by a band, possibly the band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which will be in Christchurch on May 31. The route will possibly be by way of Manchester, Cashel, and High streets to Cathedral square. Outlining his suggestion for the procession, Mr Curtis suggested that the Mayor and City Councillors, the City Council traffic department inspectors. Transport Department officers, and, if possible, a detachment of police, should take part. The co-operation of some of these bodies was already assured, he said. The idea would be to let the public see those who were working for road safety. A sub-committee, comprising Messrs Curtis, G. P. Kellar (City Council Traffic Superintendent), and R. Taylor (Federation of School Committees), was appointed to make detailed arrangements for the procession. Flagpole

The committee also obtained permission to erect a 40ft flagpole at the north-east side of the Godley plot in Cathedral square. A green and black flag will be flown during the period of the campaign, except on Queen’s Birthday. It will be hoisted by the Mayor during the one minute’s traffic pause at 11.30 a.m. at the opening ceremony.

It was also decided that a booth of some sort should be erected at the site of the flagpole, if possible, with road safety placards and literature, as a headquarters for the campaign. A display of a motor-car, badly damaged by a 200 ft drop down a West Coast hillside, may also be staged near the flagpole site.