WHEN TIMES ARE HARD

NZ Truth, Issue 1229, 20 June 1929, Page 13

WHEN TIMES ARE HARD

Jockeys Should Start To Think of Future

(From "N.Z7 Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) We all know that jockeys, with the big fields experienced nowadays, take more risks than those following the majority of other callings.

THEREFORE it is essential that they should be well recompensed for the risks they take. As a matter of fact they are, so far as the racing game will stand it. For instance, the percentage of professional men m this world who can lay claim to receiving higher pay than the jockey for the actual time engaged m earning his fee must be very small. Take the recent Great Northern three-day fixture at Ellerslie as an example. Somewhere about 63 jockeys earned close, on £1900 for their exertions m 22 different races, which meant an average of about £30— or £10 a day Naturally the amounts reaped varied according to the success achieved and the number of rides obtained. A small percentage of the 63 horsemen earned only £3, but no fewer than five earned upwards of £100, another £94, two over '£70 each, three over £40 each, four over £30 each, thirteen over £20 each, and no fewer than twenty-one from £10 to £19 apiece. This £1900 had to be provided by owners, and indirectly by the public. The public plays its part because ii derives pleasure from the sport provided. Those who provide the fare when they meet with mishap should be fully recompensed. In this respect it has often been re-. i marked when a horseman has been : laid aside through accident that the i-acing authorities do not mete out the libei-al treatment they should. However, m reality, the racing : authorities probably go as far as their accident fund allows, and if horsemen wish to place themselves on a better footing than at present, it is up to Itllllltlfl llltlll II Ittll lllllMlMllllllllllltllllltlllllllllMlllf 1111 l lEI M 111 llltl (1 11 111 llltll

them to do something for themselves : m the matter. ' So far as the accident fund stands at • present it may be no more than can be hoped for than the present form of recompense. i However, if the jockeys m a body i are only willing to • do something for I themselves they could m a very few years place the fear of real want aside. This, .by the establishment of a superannuation fund which would grow to immense proportions' in a fewyears, by deducting a small percentage 1 from all earnings. i For instance, take 5 per cent; of the i £1900 earned during only three days' ■ racing at the Great Northern fixture, and you would have £95. There would [ be something similar going on all the time. The one shilling m every one pound earned could be spared, es- \ pecially when it was realised that it was going' to come back with interest when needed m the future. _ It would certainly take some adjusting to figure out a scheme to suit all r jockeys, but it could be worked successfully if those following the calling ; only made up their minds to go s'eri- . ously into the matter. Perhaps an easier scheme would be i for jockeys themselves to subsidise the • present accident fund on the understanding that they would 1 receive iiir : creased financial- benefits when necesi sity arosel . It is m the jockeys' own hands to s look into the matter and place themselves on a b.etter footing. -\ If they will not act. for themselves; ■ then they must accept their share of i the blame instead of, as at present, • trying to foist it off on to other i shoulders. uiuiiimiiiiii'i iiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiii