THE JOCKEYS’ ASSOCIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2151, 17 July 1920, Page 1

THE JOCKEYS’ ASSOCIATION.

SIR GEORGE CLIFFORD’S

REMARKS,

Speaking 1 at the opening of the Racing Conference in Wellington on Thursday morning, the president (Sir George Clifford) referred to the Jockeys’ Association as follows: — “In the course of the past season, without preliminary application to the Conference, an association of jockeys was organised, chiefly by persons unconnected with the profession, with the nominal object of securing some thirty-two points, which were detailed by its leaders.. If these propositions had come frdfu licensed jockeys in (he spirit which assuredly animates the great majority of them, such as wefts reasonable would have been accorded by us every due consideration. As president of this conference I refused Jo recognise them as presented by the association, partly because it was clear that its* members had joined it under a complete misapprehension of its nature, and partly on account of the dictatorial attitude it at once assumed. The firs! reason was continued by the speedy and voluntary resignation .of most of the more prominent members. As to the other, the virtual control of the details of racing could not be allowed to fall into the hands of its irresponsible, promoters. The choice lay between this Conference with its carefully devised system for securing justice to all and the executive of the Jockeys’ Association claiming and striving to exercise a right to veto decisions of the racing tribunals by the summary method of calling a strike. The existence of racing as a popular institution was at stake, and I did not hesitate to ignore an association whose pretensions were so antagonistic to all. the traditions of racing in every part of the Empire. If owners, trainers, or jockeys (-boose to form associations among themselves, and respectively present suggestions to tiiis conference, no objection can be offered, but for any one of these sections to ally itself with outsiders and attempt to tyrannise over the rest would destroy the mutual good feeling essential to the due government of the turf, and would drive many of our best supporters to other pursuits. We may trust that the action of the Transport AVorkers’ Advisory Board, in its interference with the shipment of horses and passages of jockeys and racing oilicials, was based on a misunderstanding of the position. The prohibition is petty in itself, of questionable legality, and in its effect hurts the whole community far more than the racing clubs, at whom it appears to be aimed.”