ROUND THE SUBURBS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19270, 6 January 1931, Page 3

ROUND THE SUBURBS.

I® H 3 ®HI S 3 iU !H ®IDIDIDEDID ID ID ID EES ED 3 Bough Strikes Car. On Sunday evening the Rev F. A. Tooley was returning from the evening service at St John’s, Woolston, to the Scout camp at New Brighton, when he had a very startling experience. While passing through the avenue of trees at the sewerage farm near Breezes Road, a large bough was broken off a tree by the force of the nor’-wester. The bough landed on the roof of Mr car, and, glancing off, struck a passing cyclist, knocking him from his cycle. Mr Tooley stated that if his car had been of the open type he would have been seriously injured. However, apart from a bad fright, he was not hurt.

Riccarton Public Library. The holidays were reflected in the unusually small attendance last night at the monthly meeting of the Riccarton Public Library Committee. Mr H. Odell presided, and there were also present;—Mesdames Ford and Clayworth, Messrs T. M. Ford, O. D. Fraser, A. E. Steere and L. W. Ormandy (secre-tary-librarian ). The librarian’s report stated that forty-four new books had t?e en added during the month, exclusive of three presented by Mr Alan Fisher. Five subscribers had closed their accounts, and six had joined up, making the membership 201. The total number of books on the shelves was now 1669, as the result of the first two years’ operations. The members discussed informally a proposal to alter the interior arrangements of the library so as to provide better accommodation for the public and more room for the constantly-grow-ing catalogue of books. The discussion was adjourned until next month for a fuller meeting. Accounts amounting to £ll 15s 5d were passed for payment. Mrs Clayworth and Mr O. Fraser were appointed book buyers for the month. Redcliffs Roads. The main road at “The Cutting” is receiving attention at the hands of the Borough Council. At this point the tram trac.k takes off from the big causeway, while there is also a loon for the cars proceeding to the city. Often trams pass at this loop and then, if cars also are passing on the corner, there is a danger zone at once. “The Cutting” was hewn out of hard volcanic rock to form a new road for the horse trams over forty years ago, the old coach road previously running round this point and along the waterfront now known as Estuary Road. It has always been the “bottle neck” to Redcliffs, and the extra ten feet which the present work will provide will not only make another corner safer, but will provide a footpath for those pedestrians who hitherto have had to use this corner at considerable risk during busy traffic periods. Bathing at Sumner. Bathing was resumed at Sumner yesterday with confidence. The cold current had vanished and the storm which made the beach so uncomfortable entirely swept away the deposit of riverbed flotsam that had been gradually spreading in a black filthylooking area near the bathing pavilion. Mr J. Breward, the well-known surf life-saver, is on duty as beach patrol during the week. An Innovation. An interesting event passed almost unrecorded during the holidays. Regularly organised traffic communication was established for the first time between Taylor’s Mistake and Sumner. An enterprising taxi driver placed a notice on his car, “To Taylor’s Mistake,” and waited at the tram terminus for passengers. Nor did he wait long —he did a good business, even if the road was a bit narrow in places. This event recalls the way the “Mistake” was reached, seemingly, only a few years ago. A treacherous cliff was negotiated by young adventurers quite near the spot where , now a railed track leads up from the swings. A steep zigzag path led to a higher track going towards Whitewash Heads (there is still a portion of it left), and the tramper made his way by means of sheep tracks down to the sand. About sixteen years ago Scarborough was cut up and the present road to the top taken over by the council. During the past three years the road has been formed to the beach and now, with improvements being regularly made as circumstances and finance permit, it is possible for even elderly people to reach Taylor’s Mistake in comfort.