Airport row over Murdoch

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33092, 6 December 1972, Page 1

Airport row over Murdoch

(From

CHARLES COOPER,

London correspondent of "The Press")

LONDON December 5.

The Keith Murdoch affair was blowing up into a new row in London last night as angry airport officials wanted to know how he was smuggled out of Britain.

The British Airports’ Authority has ordered a probe into who gave permission for him to be spirited through the arrivals hall instead of through the departures hall, and straight on to an awaiting Qantas jumbo.

They are patting the finger on what they call the control authorities who are understood to have been sympathetic immigration or Special Branch men who were doing their best to help Murdoch, escape public embarrassment. Their thoughtfulness has kicked back in their faces, as the airport’s authority claims that strict security rules were broken and they named Qantas as a party to the irregularity. Murdoch has provided a bonanza for the London papers, almost all of which, including “The Times” have featured him on the frontpage this morning, and on pages two and three, and the back pages, as every correspondent dredges up a new angle. Some papers featured big pictures of the security man, Mr Peter Grant, showing off the swollen eye that he blames on Murdoch. The 17st bearded guard claims that Murdoch took a swing at the team manager, Mr E. L. Todd, but that othei

guards stopped him, and that, as they were all leaving the hotel kitchen, Murdoch’s “haymaker” connected with Mr Grant. The security man says that he was going to sue, but that he will now accept Murdoch’s apology, promised by Mr Todd.

“I don’t bear him any grudge now,” he said, “but he is a real wild man. I have stood up against some hard cases in my time but this was the biggest punch I have ever stopped.” "I was called to the kitchen because Murdoch was terrorising waitresses and other members of the staff,” the security guard, Mr Grant, is quoted as saying, according to a cable message from, the N.Z.P.A. in London. “He was standing against the oven, trying to get food or drink. “Another security officer was with me and we asked Murdoch to leave without using any force whatsoever. I did not think he was drunk, but we could see he was not going to leave peacefully, so went sent for Mr Todd.

“When Mr Todd arrived and put a hand on Murdoch’s shoulder, the player drew his fist back with the intention of hitting him. “We restrained Murdoch, but some of his friends came Sand said they could e him. We withdrew, but as they came out of the kitchen, Murdoch said to me: ‘You I.R.A. bastard.’ I’m not even an Irishman. I come from Nuneaton.”

Mr Grant said the punch came when he was talking to one of the other players. “I thought Murdoch had gone, but suddenly — clock. He struck me from behind a pillar with a right-hander that gave me a left-eye shiner.

“I was dazed, but ready to have a go at him. Fortunately, other security men held me back. They probably thought all hell would break out if they let me go.” Mother’s comment

In Dunedin Mrs E. K. Murdoch, of Ravensboume, Murdoch’s mother, said today that she was disappointed over the treatment of her son, according to a Press Association report.

“I think it is blown out of proportion; certainly, there’s a lot of things go on in Rugby . . . they get built up too much. I am glad he didn’t get put off when he was playing.”

Mrs Murdoch said she was very surprised over a report of this sort of behaviour from her son. She said she did not know when he was coming home . . . “Nobody’s told me anything, and I am very annoyed about it.” His sister-in-law, Mrs Bruce Murdoch, of Mosgiel, said: “Why should they pick on him? Colin Meads got put off the field for two weeks when he was in England but he didn’t get sent home.” Mr E. Watson, former Otago selector and coach, said today: “I am certainly very sorry about the whole deal. It is very surprising. I would not condone bad behaviour on the field or off, but Keith has been first-class in any teams I have been connected with.

“He is not lilywhite by any means, but he is well respected by all his team mates in Otago; he has been an excellent team man. He has been provoked and we have certainly stopped a few things happening over the years. 1 feel he had been provoked in this case—but still he shouldn’t use his fists.

“He is pretty shy deep down, Keith, and he hates the press. He has got to respect a person and then he is very loyal,” Mr Watson said.