TONS OF GOLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19809, 28 November 1919, Page 9

TONS OF GOLD.

ANTNBOLSHEVIK TREASURE. GoM to the weight of 1.440,005 pounds avoidupois, is hold at Omsk by th© Russian Government opposing tha Bolsheviki, and recently a party of twenty Russian and other Euroneait newspaper correspondents inspected the treasure whose existence they had.« doubted. This was the assertion made .. by the American Committee of Siberian Agricultural Co-operatives. “ Journalists and correspondents ol Russian and European newspapers were the guests of the Minister or Finance,” said the statement given out by the local committee. tl The occasion was due to the incredulity with which the announcement of the existence of a big gold reserve in the hands of the Omsk bovernmenfc -had been received. “ The party,, accompanied by the' ~ Minister of-1' inance and the director of the State Bank at Omsk, proceeded to . the bank where the reserve had been, put on display under heavy guard. The gold, which is largely in the form of/ 5 ingots and coins, was removed from the " vaults underneath the bank and arranged for display on tables in the several chambers of the bank. A considerable quantity of platinum was shown also. "The guests were escorted past these tables, which were loaded until their legs creaked. In one room there werel about thirty tables, loaded down with gold in all forms, requisitioned by the ' Bolshevik! from the people. 1 This fell into the hands of Kolchak’s army in his success early in the spring of 1919. Conspicuous in this lot was a, set of solid gold dishes, formerly the property;of M. Tereschtscheenko, one of the wealthiest of tiro Russian nobility. One of the possible heirs renounced all •• title to it if the value was to be "used by the Omsk Government. “ After viewing the reserve, tho cor- ■ respondents wore taken into the vaults where they saw the manner in which '■ the reserve is stored. The gold! is kept : m canvas bags weighing about seventyfive pounds each. Two of these bags*--. are placed in a. wooden box, equipped with intricate locks, and as many boxes am piled into a, vault as can bei stored safely; with easy access for inventory purposes."’