plain bunkum?

Is it treasure on Tonga - or just plain bunkum?

Does a $37 million horde of gold bullion lie hidden in a

Tongan reef? Many Tongans

wondered in January.

They saw a $BO,OOO research vessel Maraenui at Tongatapu and Haapai, where the treasure sup posedly is, and listened as a Hong Kong millionaire, Mr. Paul Dun worth, asked for filming rights regarding the search for the bullion.

It all followed last August’s assertions ( PIM, Sept., 1969, p. ii) by New Zealanders that they had found 10, and possibly 30, tons of bullion in a strong box the size of a room, 14 ft by 8 ft. They claimed to have hidden their find, presumably from the wreck of the privateer Port au Prince, which came to grief off Lifuka Island (Haapai) in 1806, pending negotia tions with the Tongan Government for a share of the booty.

Complete survey

In December, the Maraenui, owned by the Nauruan-registered Harrison Shipping Company, in which Mr.

Dunworth has a shareholding, arrived. Mr. Dunworth asked to assist the government in a complete survey of the Haapai area, in return for exclusive film rights.

With typically Tongan indecision, government “deferred consideration” of his proposals.

Undeterred, Mr. Dunworth initia ted extensive research through the archives of London, Lisbon and Spain into wrecks of the South Pacific.

His main objective was film rights, but he was also interested in salvage.

He bought hereditary titles to a number of wrecks, and in late January news had it Mr. Dunworth had come to an agreement with the Tongan Government for a “properly supervised” search.

Meantime, many remained sceptical that any treasure existed at all.

Tonga’s Harbour Master, Captain C.

H. Hill-Willis, said: “There is no in dication that treasure, privateers, or old Spanish plate ships were lost in the Tongan area. The only recorded wreck is the Port au Prince and her record does not include treasure of any great value.”