CURSE ON A STONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20480, 4 February 1930, Page 11

CURSE ON A STONE.

SUPERSTITION IN SURREY.

ROUTE OF ROAD CHANGED.

LONDON, Jan. 26. . Although municipalities, like individuals, may not be superstitious, they may not see the necessity of taking avoidable risks. Iho result is that the Surrey County Council has re-arranged the route of the now main road, rather than disturb a certain stone.

The stone, long known as "the cursed stone," is supposed to mark tho spot of a highway murder. It was placed there in 1787, inscribed, "Cursed be he who moveth me." The stono overlooks tho Devil's Punchbowl, near Hindhead, Surrey, one of tho most magnificent vistas in the si|ith of England. Tho council's widening plans required a- slight adjustment of the stone's position. The workmen refused to touch the stone and tho authorities suggested that they draw lots. They refused. The authorities eventually arranged for the diversion of the road in order to leave this stone untouched, although this involved considerable expense, because the road climbs a steep hill. Practical jokers rolled the stone' to the bottom of tho Devil's Punchbowl, at the week-end, thus "hoping to solve the council's difficulty, and also to obviate the increased expenditure, but the council decided to put the stone back and build- a new road around it. It is believed that the Thirteen Club, which 'is composed of persons anxious to dofy superstition, and which originally volunteoied to remove the stone, was responsible ior depositing it in the Punchbowl.