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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 204, 21 June 1894, Page 4

Another subject that might with advantage be considered is the establishment of a jockeys’ fund. At present no one knows what becomes of the money paid by jockeys and trainers for licenses, and it is only fair to assume that such money goes to the funds of clubs. The only existing rule which may be .said to apply to this subject is Rule 184., which runs as follows: —‘‘All penalties forfeitures, fines, and sums of money set, imposed, and forfeited by these rules shall be paid to the treasurer of the club, and except where otherwise directed go to form part of the funds of the club.” We would like to suggest that a rule be formulated providing that all fines and moneys paid for licenses by trainers and

jockeys be put to a trainers and jockeys’ fund. It was just this want of knowledge as to what becomes of the money paid for licenses that led to the Egmont Racing Club authorities declining to allow some seven jockeys to enter their course during the holding of a race meeting without payment of the admission money. Their reason for so doing was that as neither their club nor the jockeys themselves benefit a sixpence by the payment of the license money there is no reason why those licenses should be held good as a pass on to a racecourse. If those fees, the Egmont stewards say, were put to a jockeys’ fund they would cheerfully admit holders to their courses, but until unanimous action be taken in that direction they hold it is unfair to expect them to consent to a deadhead system, the sole benefit in connection with which goes to a metropolitan club. Their contention is a sound one, and until a jockeys’ fund be established no one can blame them for the action they have taken. A jockeys’ fund should certainly form the subject of a motion at the coming Conference.