JOCKEYS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 201, 20 May 1920, Page 6

JOCKEYS' DISPUTE

THE CASE FOR THE CLUBS

RULES OF RACING SAID TO BE

BROKEN

Br TelogNM>h-Pres» AmMifttion. 1

Auckland, May 19. In explanation of the difficulty which has arisen in racing circles, the iollo \- in K 1 fer has been forwarded to he Prime Minister, by the chairman of toe Auckland District Committee (the Hon. E "T^t^on : presented b.V those centre ling nf the Jockeys' Association to tne \anmis hate unions, with the view doubtless of getting their sympathetic support In the first place the suspension of the licenses of certain jockeys has nothing whatever to do with the connection of these jockeys with the Jockeys' Association. This association has solely to do with racehorse owners (as employers) and jockeys (as employees), and any differences as regards empoyment must be settled between these two classes in accordance with the procedure feed by the laws of the land As rewards tho recent suspensions, these ha e been inflicted solely by reason of deliberate breaches by the jockeys of the conditions of their licenses. For your information, I might state that the racine sport is governed by certain bodies under fixed and defined rules. The controlling authority is the Racing Conference, comprising delegates elected by the various racing clubs throughout tho Dominion, and constituting the final court of appeal on all racing questions. This authority controls the notions of the racing districts, composed of eleven deleeys Tho licensing of trainers and jockeys is delegated to, and controlled by district committees in the various racings districts, composed of eleven delegates, six of whom represent the metropolitan clubs, and tho remaining five represent, and are elected by tho country clubs of tho district. At the commencement of each racing season this district committee issues licenses to trainers and jockeys, which expire not later than July 31, subsequent to the issue of the license. All licenses are liable to suspension or cancellation by the district committee who grant the same, for breaches of the rules of racing, etc. These licenses are issued subject to the observance of these) Eules of Pacing, of which all the trainers and jockeys are well aware, seeing that they are printed and available to them. "Now, under these rules, it is an offence on • tho part of a jockey, inter alia (a) to break his riding engagements with an owner or to incite other jockeys to do so; (b) to refuse to sign any evidence or statements that he may Rive or make before any stewards; (c) to refuse or neglect to nttend meetings of stewards when requested eo to do. "It was roported to and found by investigation by the Auckland District Committee, in the presence of the jockeys charged that Jockey Hewitt, on April 10, incited and required several jockeys at Avondalo to break their racing engagements at the meeting held on that day, that he refused to sign his evidence and statement made by him before the Avondalo stewards, that ho refused to attend meetings of the Avondale stewards when requested to do so; that Jockey E. C. Eae incited and counselled jockeys at Avondale to break their racing engagements at the Avondale meeting held on April 10, 1920, that Jockey J. B. O'Shea broke his racin» engagements at the Avondale meeting on April 10, 1920, and refused to attend meetings of the Avondalo stewards when requested to do so. "i'or these offences and for these alone the District Committee decided to suspend these jockeys' licenses for tho balance of the racing season. If they are aggrieved at this decision they havo, under tho rules of racing, an immediate right of appeal to the Racing Conference Theso jockeys have openly and deliberately defied the Rules of .facing and the conditions under which they have accepted their licenses, and they expect their conduct to bo passed over unnoticed by tho licensing authority. Tho Auckland Eacing Club's committee has had nothing whatever to do with the above suspensions. "T**e various trades unions have been absolutely misled by certain officials connected with the Jockeys' Association, w-ho ha/e evidently led them to lelieve that \v l! iuisation had been practised, and thai 'these jockeys had been punished for their connection with the Jockeys' Association, This is absolutely contrary to fact, as can bo ascertained by any official of such unions who cares dispassionately to investigate the position. The position is quite analogous to that of a trades union dealing with one of its members who deliberately sets at defiance the rules of his union which he is bound to observe. It is interesting to point out that the actions of tho Jockeys' Association are quite contrary to the men's own registered objects and mips. Under these rules it is provided in effect that the association's members shall loyally observe their engagements and the conditions of their license*. Despite this, however, wa find certain officials countenancing and advising members to break, not only the terms of their licenses, but.flso to commit a'breach of the association's own rules. "In conclusion, I may say I'cannot see that any conference such as suggested by you will be of any avail, but I think it should be strongly pointed out to the unions that no victimisation has taken place, and that the dispute of the jockeys With their owners has nothing whatever to do with the recent suspensions. Other jockeys who broke their engagements at the Avondale meeting will yet have to be dealt with by the various district committees fl-ho granted them their licenses. I woull also like to state that the suspei.sions havo nothing to do with the action* of jockeys on the first day of the Avondalo meeting, April 7, 1920, when the weather conditions were very unfavourable."