THE TREASURE HUNTERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2211, 25 July 1914, Page 6

THE TREASURE HUNTERS

;;/ . '•■ ' ■""■ : 9 —■ j; ..'GENERALVG.RANT EXPEDITION. [;'■.; (Fy'Telegraph —Press Association./ ' [;•."'■ ',''..•"■*■ " \Dunediri, July 24. p' With reference ;to; the General Grant (.■' • salvagevexpeditio'n, it', is..stated that f; before going to any>expense in. connec- ['. ';■■• tion with it, Air.'. May received from : -jthe Southland,, Land I3pard, a license f authorising him;,to;.!go'to,tho;Aucklaiid • j Islands and ertict machinery; etc.,' for !.!,the carry ing out 'of thoscheme. Early f: ■'■' this' year tlie" land Board gave notice I' '. to Mr. May's secretary ,in Duned : n j '• that operations must'proceed within j. :.threo months, otherwise the license I iwould be cancelled., Tho time jiinit L,-' expired this month, and further notice •: ..was served that , unless the board werb ■ : satisfied that Mr. May had commenced !■-.'■ work the: license would be )'-■■ ■•.;.'-The-matter came up before the board. ■ ! at Invercargill. on Thursday. Mr. ,0. j J. Payne .appeared for "Mr. May, and I';; showed;th\t Mr. May had purchasnd a f: vessel, and' was leaving- San". Francisco [■'.-■•■ this-, month. ','iMr. 'Payne submitted [ that : showed conclusively ■that. Mr! Silayihad started...vi'ork, and- }. had gone;tp;;considerable: expense. ,; ' j... The Commissioner explained chat the f '. reut in.connection with,the,license had !. ■ been, paid up ~to next, but !-" § that.thbj;licenste .had been issued under I,'' a section of tho Land ActVwhich. en- : abled the-boafd .to cancel, it at .any; I time it thought fit. ..Ho had' brought i • ' tho matter forward, as-another syndi- ;" cate had' approached tho board in coiiJ. iiection with the matter. ' " '

Mr. Payno pointed out that.several shareholders jii. Mr. May's 'company were resident in :Ncw Zealand, nud were quite satisfied with his • bona fides, and' desired' to have'a run foe their money. He had received i cablegram from Mr. May, stating that he was leaving San Francisco in his new vessel this month, and.-.in view of wbat had been done, it would be unfair to deprive the company of its rights.

A three months' extension of time was granted in which . to' commence operations, othorwise. tho rights wouid absolutely cease. ' ■