THE JOCKEYS' DISPUTE. SIR GEORGE CLIFFORD "HELD UP."

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16885, 13 July 1920, Page 6

THE JOCKEYS' DISPUTE.

SIR GEORGE CLIFFORD "HELD UP."

ACTION OF MOKOIA'S FIBEMEN.

A fresli development in the jockeys' dispute occurred at Lyttelton last night, when the firemen in the Mokoia, which was relieving the Mnoir on the ferry run, refused to sail with Sir George Clifford and the Messrs Rutherford on board. Sir George, who was accompanied by iiio two Misses Clifford, arrived by the ordinary ferry train, and was evidently Tecogniscd by the firemen as ho went up the gangway. Shortly afterwards the "firemen informed the chief engineer that they would not sail whilo Sir George Clifford was on board. Both Mr W. B. Cunningham, the Union Company's manager at Lyttelton, and Captain Mawson tried to reason with the men, but they were firm in their refusal to go to sea uniess Sir Georgo Clifford disembarked. On being informed of the trouble, Sir George <ju'ford addressed the passengers assembled in the saloon, and in a neat little speech stated taat his lust inclination had been to stay on the snip and let matters take tueir course, but on second thoughts ho had det-idod to go ashore, not because he desired to give in to the firemen, but because he had 110 wisii to inconvenience the remaining passengers, many of whom had important reasons for travelling, by 'aoiding up the ship for the sake of three persons. As Sir George Clifford left the ship the passengers loudly cheered him, the firemen, who wore ail on deck, making a counter-demonstration. "\ou will never travel by this boat, or any other Union Co. boat!" were among the remarks called out, followed by a counting out. Tlv men walked along the deck as Sir George proceeded up the wharf. "If you only knew it, you are losing one of the best frienas you nave," Sir George remarked to ono group. Sir George lifted his hat to the crowd as he finally left the wharf, and, with his daughters, returned to Christchurch. Two of the male passengers, named Rutherford, were the subject of enquiries by the stokehold crew, but on their being able to prove that they were not members of the racehorseowning family of that name, no further objection was raised by the firemen to taking the vessel to sea. Apparently the firemen declined to sail with Sir George Clifford and the Messrs Rutherford, of racing fame, for the reason that they _ arc racehorse owners. Under the circumstances, it is probable that Sir George Clifford wiil not be able to preside at the New Zealand Racing Conference at "Wellington, on Thursday, when one of the principal items of business will be consideration of the jockeys' dispute, and the best means of effecting a settlement.

The Mokoia finally got away from Lyttelton at 8.55 p.m.