MAN OF MANY PARTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17238, 19 April 1930, Page 5

MAN OF MANY PARTS

LATE SIR G. CLIFFORD GREAT SERVICE TO RACING (Special to the Herald.) CrIRISTOUURCH, this day. The late Sir George Clifford was a man of wide and varied interests', and his sound judgment and business ability were of.the greatest value to concerns with which he was associated. Ho joined the directorate of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Co. in 1901. In 1902 ho succeeded -Mr. John Deans as chairman, and occupied tho position until his death. He was a director of the New Zealand Shipping Co., the Christchurch Gas Co., and the Christchurch Press Co., and he had been a director of tho Blackball Coal Co. and of other business concerns in Christchurch. Ho was a past president of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and was prominent in several societies which worked for the advancement of the rural industries of the Dominion.

Sir George was thrice married. His first wife was a daughter of Sir John Lawson, Bart., and she died in the year of their marriage, 1880. His second wife, married in 1884, was a daughter of Mr. James Burnett, of Nelson, and she died in 1885. Sir George is survived by Lady Clifford, a daughter of tho Rev. J. Dennis, one sou, by his second wife, and three daughters, the issue of the third marriage. His son, Charles, who succeeds to the baronetcy, is 44 years of age, is not married, and lives at Stonyhurst. For some years he has been manager of his father's property. The daughters are Mrs. George MacDonald, of Dowry Hills, Cheviot.; Mrs. Bruce Douglas," of Waikari; and Donna Sapio (June), now living in Italy. The late Sir George Clifford was a descendant of an old Roman Catholic family, and he was a. devout member and generous supporter of that church and its spiritual, social, and charitable activities. "Avonholme," at Fendalton, a picturesque residence, through the extensive grounds of which the Wairarapa stream flows just before its confluence with the Avon, has been Sit George's town home for tho past 25 years. Several years ago he purchased another house on Thornhill Crescent, Cashmere. Though he stayed there a good deal he still continued to occupy "Avonholme" until fairly recently. INTRODUCTION TO RACING.

While the late Sir George Clifford was closely identified with pastoral and commercial affairs, it was as the Dominion's leading sportsman that lie was most widely known. He received his first introduction to racing when he was about 11 years of age at Burnham Waters, near Wellington. Later, during and after his college days in England, he was a constant visitor to Newmarket and other racecourses. He remained in England for about 10 years, during which time he had many opportunities of getting an insight into the way in which sport was carried on, and the experience thus gained was turned to good account. In 1887 he represented the Canterbury Jockey Club, of which he was chairman for several years, at the conference of metropolitan jockey clubs, at which was formed the first body for the'control of racing in New Zealand. At the 1893 conference it was decided to enlarge the scope to give country clubs representation, and thus was formed the New Zealand Racing Conference, which had grown gradually to its present position. He was elected president of the conference on the retirement of the late Sir William Russell in 1896, and ho held the position continuously up to the time of his death, a period of 34 years. Sir George was very largely responsible for evolving its constitution as it now exists, including its system of appeal judges. In his control of the racing conference his high ideals were at all times in evidence. He was the prime mover in the appointment of stipendiary stewards and racecourse inspectors, and also in the system of the licensing of trainers and jockeys by the conference. It was largely due to his efforts that proprietary racing clubs were wiped out in New Zealand. HLS FIRST RACE. In the early 'eighties, .Sir George, then Mr G. H. Clifford, started breeding horses at Stonyhurst, and Puriki, by Tow town from Toitoi, was really the first thoroughbred mare he owned. Ho soon had a select stud, and his now very well-known colors, blue and gold chequers, were first displayed in 1884. Stonyhurst won the Canterbury Jockey Club's Welcome Stakes in that year, and the Derby in the next. Since then, of course, his colors have led the way home in very many classic events and handicaps. For many years past practically all the horses that have raced in his colors were bred by him. In tho season 1903-4,. Sir George was placed for the first time at the head of tho list of winning owners in New Zealand, a position never occupied previously by an owner with 1 " horses bred exclusively at his own stud. Suffice it to say that Sir George's colors have been carried to victory 15 times in the Canterbury Champagne Stakes, and 16 times in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes, which latter he first won in 1889. A' striking feature of Sir George's long association with racing in New Zealand is tho fact his only trainers have been the members of the Outts family. Throughout his lengthy career as an owner, extending over more than 40 years, his horses were trained at Riccarton from the Chokebore Lodge stables. The late Mr Edward Outts was his first trainer, retaining tho position until his death in 1915, when his two sons, Harry and Albert, took over joint control. During their long association the relations between Sir George and members of the Cutts family were at all times most cordial, and the high principles which actuated the owner found a cordial backing from the, trainers.