Conflict about sharing gold

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 10

Conflict about sharing gold

Not only lias the quest for the General Grant’s mold turned into a race, but there seems conflict between < Government departments whether Commander .1. Grattan’s syndicate, in the m.v. Acheron, has reached agreement with the (Government on the sharing of any trcasurc recov cred.

The 13ft Bluff fishing v e~-.el Atlantis, with a crew of six. is already at the Auckland Islands, having left Bluff secretly on January 1. The 43ft Bluff fishing vessel Atlantis, with a crew of six, is already at the Auckland Islands, having left Bluff secretly on January 1. The Acheron, skippered by Mr A J. Black, of Dunedin, left Port Pegasus. Stewart Island, vesterdac morning for rhe Auckland Island', after -heltering from the bad weather she encountered after leasing Dunedin on the evening of Januarv 4 The Acheron expedition, b-d bv Commander Grattan, is the nineteenth expedition to seek the General Grant's

’gold, according to a Press message from Invercargill Before he left. ’ Commander Grattan was con’s fident that he would return >■ with it. Twelve months ago, he discovered what he be-| lieves is the wreck of the - General Grant in a big cave f on the western coast of the - main Auckland Island, and it f is to this spot that he is returning. A senior executive officer of the Marine Division of the L Ministry of Transport in Wei-, ■ lington (Mi R. L. Keats > said yesterdav that Commander I Grattan'' svndicate had eni tered into a signed agree- : ment with the Crown, in which the salvor would re- . ceive 90 per cent of the trea- . sure, if found, and the Crown, i 10 ner cent. • However, a member of the

legal division of the Customs Department (Mr P. McKin-! ley) told the Press Associa-i tion in Wellington yesterday! that there was no agreement.; and that negotiations on this (question were still proceed-: ing with representatives of! the syndicate. Mr Keats said that if any) gold was found, it must be I deposited with the Receiver: of Wrecks at Invercargill, I where claims of ownership! would be examined; and if no i claims were substantiated.; then the agreement would be 1 honoured. The agreement was only! different in that a set per-i centage had been established i between the Crown and the syndicate. However, there was no way) of policing these rights. : The Auckland Islands were too remote for the Marine Division to be able to enforce the agreement, Mr Keats said. If other boats sailed in and found the gold.: it was probable that any dis-! pute would be settled on re-: turn to New Zealand. “The islands are too remote," said Mr Keats. “It is! much different from a con flict on the sidewalk. It is a bit too remote for authority.” Mr McKinley said it was probably- the first instance of salvage in New Zealand waters in which the owner; of the wreck was not known ; The Crown had the rights to! the treasure as a result. There was. he thought. no| real legal precedent; and; studies of English practice appeared to indicate that the, British Government dealt with each case according to | its merits. The Atlantic expedition is believed to be guided by a clairvoyant who heads the Southland syndicate which has chartered the boat. The Atlantis is skippered by a Stewart Island fisherman. Mr P. Tait, and has on board her owner. Mr V. Murdoch, of Invercargill. She was recently de--1 registered as a fishing boat, and declared a yacht, in an ■ apparent move to beat ■ Marine Division requirements “ for deep-sea voyaging. The Atlantis had gone without required approval of its manning or survey- conditions. and was possible breaking marine laws. Mr Keats said, according to the Invercargill message. Approval of manning and survey conditions was required for any vessel going more than 50 miles offshore.; he said. If the Atlantis found any" gold, it would have to be handed immediately' to the Receiver of Wrecks at In-i vercargill. The wreck of the General! Grant was owned by the! .Crown, and so was any gold! it contained. Mr Keats said (