John Lindsey
9th October 2003, 05:46
Rush to find Japanese war gold
By Noel Pascoe in Port Moresby
October 8, 2003
http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7497926%255E401,00.html
CASH-STRAPPED Papua New Guinea has despatched troops and police to a remote New Ireland province mountaintop to check a claimed find of billions of dollars in Japanese wartime gold.
The PNG Cabinet reportedly directed the soldiers and police be sent to verify the claim and to protect the find from poachers.
It is believed a legal agreement has been drawn up by private lawyers to set down the share of the "spoils" if they are found to exist.
Villagers on the rugged west coast of the mainland have been watching the movements of the soldiers with anger as they resent the intrusions of "outsiders" trying to grab the mountaintop riches.
Soldiers went to the province last week allegedly on direction from the Chief Secretary Joshua Kalinoe.
By Noel Pascoe in Port Moresby
October 8, 2003
http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7497926%255E401,00.html
CASH-STRAPPED Papua New Guinea has despatched troops and police to a remote New Ireland province mountaintop to check a claimed find of billions of dollars in Japanese wartime gold.
The PNG Cabinet reportedly directed the soldiers and police be sent to verify the claim and to protect the find from poachers.
It is believed a legal agreement has been drawn up by private lawyers to set down the share of the "spoils" if they are found to exist.
Villagers on the rugged west coast of the mainland have been watching the movements of the soldiers with anger as they resent the intrusions of "outsiders" trying to grab the mountaintop riches.
Soldiers went to the province last week allegedly on direction from the Chief Secretary Joshua Kalinoe.