TREASURE HUNTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 239, 9 October 1934, Page 11

TREASURE HUNTS.

"SPOTTING" FROM 'PLANES.

CORONER'S OBJECTIONS

"These treasure hunts with aeroplanes ' should cease," said the coroner at Can- ! tcrbury when returning a verdict of death by misadventure at the inquest on John James, 33, and Norman lan Ramsay, who were killed as the result of a 'plane crash at Adisham Downs (England). James, who was the son of the Hon. Mrs. Wilfrid James, and a cousin of Lord North bourne, was killed instantly. Ramsay, the pilot of the machine, died later in hospital. "I am not very favourably impressed with the business of treasure hunting with aeroplanes. It seems to me that it is asking for trouble, and that it is highly dangerous, not only to the actual entrants, but also to the general public," said the coroner. "Anybody might be walking along and the 'plane might crash down on the road, or it might hit some countryman crossing a field. Anything might happen when you get an aeroplane out of control. When they come down suddenly, with people in them absolutely dashiii"- to death, they cannot be controlled. "That this sort of competition should be fostered is, I think, highly undesirable, and I am glad' to "hear Mr. Barringer (representing the chibT say that he did not think thoy would have any more of them at the Kent Flying Club. "f cannot help thinking that the game is not worth the candle. The temptation to these boys of 19, as the pilot was in this case, to come down low ill order to read the number quickly, must be very great. "1 think it is desirable that . these treasure hunts for aeroplanes should cease. To add to the difficulty we have the fact that Mr. James, who was trying to observe, was without the pair of binoculars, which it was highly desirable for him to have if he were to be successful at a reasonable height from the ground. "But these men who like aviation are rather apt to be casual in matters of personal safety. There is an element of danger in it all which makes for personal recklessness, and Mr. James, having come without his binoculars, probably thought that it was best to come down a little lower. "I do not like these things. It is the first T have heard of them and I hope we will hear nothing more." Evidence had been piven that the cars in the hunt carried a cloth about one and a half feet square, bearing numbers which were ll|in by 13in in size. There were about 40 cars taking part. The game was for the aeroplanes to spot the cars and read the numbers. There were two aeroplanes.