JOCKEYS' DISPUTE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18435, 15 June 1920, Page 6

JOCKEYS' DISPUTE.

CANTERBURY DRIVERS* UNION SUGGESTION.

On June 8 Mr H. Hunter wrote as follows to Sir George Clifford:—"l have been instructed by the Canterbury Drivers' Union to request you to use your influence to secure the recognition of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association by tho Racing Conference at the earliest possible moment. The laws of this country provide for means for the settlement of disputes between employers and employees in a conciliatory manner, and the jockeys have an undoubted right to avail themselves of Ifche means provided by law in their endeavour to secure the removal of their grievance. The present attitude of the racing authorities, if persisted in, we are sure will result in very serious industrial trouble. Therefore we urge you to realise the very heavy responsibility which you are carrying and to do aii in your power to remove the cause."

Mb Hunter on June 12 received the following reply from Mr H. R. Sellars, secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference:—

"I am directed by the president to acknowledge receipt of yours of Bth instant, re-directed from tho country and only received this evening, in which you request the recognition of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association by the Racing Conference at the earliest possible moment. It is not clear why the Canterbury Drivers' Union should intervene in this matter. In any case, f am to point out that the New Zealand Jockeys' Association as at present constituted by no means represents the Now Zealand licensed jockeys who are following their profession in this country. The majority of the jockeys who have constant employment recently authorised a deputation of their number to wait upon tho president of the Conference, and made suggestions to him for alteration of all Rules of Racing and racing customs, which in their opinion required alterations. They were on that occasion promised that all their requests should be brought before the Racing Conference at its animal meeting next month for consideration, ami the president promised his cordial support to nearly all their requests. You are doubtless aware that alterations to Rules of Racing' can only bo made by the Racing Conference, which is an elective body, and it would appear pre; mature to make the threats contained in your letter before it is known how far any grievances entertained by legitimate jockeys have been remedied bj the body constituted for that purpose. There nro several distinct classes of persons interested in and affected by th« regulations governing the somewhat complicated system which provides fo< the public the sport which creates sc widespread an interest in the Dominion. Owners, trainers, jockeys and the public all need protection for their separate interests, and it is not in the interest of the sport that any one of these classes should assume a dictatorial authority over the others, and no complaint has hitherto been raised in regard to the administration of racing by the New Zealand Racing Conference in the varied interests of all the constituent parts of the pastime. Whenever a question has been raised hitherto by any participant in it, it has received ample aiid, it is believed, satisfactory treatment. It is difficult, therefore, to uuderstand your objection to what you term ' the present attitude o*. the racing authorities.' No objection has been raised to the formation of associations of owners, trainers, jockeys, racing clubs, or any other parties to the sport of racing. Certain associations of that sort already exist, and, as a matter of fact, the president is already inviting trainers and jockeys to combine for the purpose of harmoniously treating witn the Racing Conference for any purpose which they may deem desirable Any such association cannot, however, bo permitted to usurp authority over all other branches of tho sport by the mere brute force of such a weapon as a strike. Tho non-resognition of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association, organised and led by persons outside the body of licensed 'jockeys, is explained by the fact that it has resorted to this extreme method of obtaining' its end It has barred the transport of horses and jockeys to race meetings; it ha? declared the racecourses themselves * black'; and warned the public to refrain from attending them. While protending that jockeys have been victimised by owners and clubs, it tias itself been guilty of a far more serious victimisation by threatening and terrorising jockeys who do not conform to its behests. It is clear that if racing is to be conducted to the common advantage of owners, jockeys and the public, its regulation cannot be in the hands of a body adopting such an attitude. If the association had been organised by tho jockeys themselves, and if they had come with reasonable propositions to the Racing Conference, their reception would have been cordial, as has been proved by the interview already alluded to between the president and the jockeys who recently waited upon him. It has been asserted that the racing authorities have slammed tl« door in the face oi tho jockeys Tht very reverse is tho case, as a perusa. of the order paper for the approaching Racing Conference will testify. You on your part may be urged 'to realise the* very heavy responsibility which you are carrying' when you press, imdor threats, for the recognition of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association by the Racing Conference at a time when the Racing Conference is offering to the jockeys every facility for representing their requests, and you may do goofl servico to the causo which you apparently have at heart by persuading all concerned to adopt the constitutional means provided by the Rules of Racing for remedying all such matters as they may feel to require adjustment."