JOCKEYS5 DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10616, 15 June 1920, Page 8

JOCKEYS 5 DISPUTE

TRADE UNION SUPPORT CANTERBURY DRIVERS AND THE PRESIDENT. INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE. PSE PRESS ASSOCIATION. ' CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. The. following correspondence has been handed to the Press Association: Canterbury Drivers' Union, Trades Hall, Christchurch, S.'6/20. Sir George Clifford, "Stonyhurst," Christchurch. Dear sir,—l have been instructed by the Canterbury Drivers' Union to request you to use your influence to se-, cure the recognition of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association by the Racine Conference at the earliest possible moment. The laws of this country provide for the means for settlement of. disputes between employers and employees in a conciliatory manner, and the jockeys have an undoubted right to avail themselves of the means provided by the law in their endeavours 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 all in your power to remove the cause. —Yours faithfully (Sgd.) H. Hunter, Secretary. New Zealand Racing Conference, June 12th. To the secretary, Canterbury Drivers' Union, Christchurch. Dear sir,—l am directed by the president to acknowledge the receipt of sours of the Bth instant, redirected from the country and only received thi3 evening, in which you request the recognition of the New Zealand Jockevs' Association by the Racing Conference ait the earliest possible moment. It is not clear why the Canterbury Drivers' Union should intervene in this matter. In any case, lam to point out thai, the New Zealand Jockeys' Association, as at present constituted, by no means represents the New Zealand licensed jockeys, who are following their profession in this country. The majority of the jookeya who have constant employment recently authorised a deputation of their number to wait upon the president of the conference and present suggestions to him for the alteration ot all the rules of racing, and racing customs which, in their opinion, required alteration. They were, on that occasion, promised that all their requests should be brought before the Racing Conference at its annual meeting next month, for consideration, and the president promised his cordial support to nearly all their requests. \ou are doubtless aware that alterations to the rules of racing can only be made by the Racing Conference, which is an elective body, and it would appear premature t.o make the threats contained in your letter before it is known how far any grievances entertained by legitimate jockeys have been remedied by the body constituted for that purpose. There are several distinct classes of persons interested in, and affected by, the regulations governing the somewhat complicated system which provides for the public the sport which creates so widespread an interest in the Dominion. Owners, trainers, jockeys, and the publio all need protection for their separate interests, and it is not in the interest of the sport that anyone 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 jockeys. The Racing Conference, in the varied interests of all the constituent parts of the pastime has, whenever a question has been raised by any participant -in it, given it ample and,, it is believed, satisfactory treatment. It is. difficult, therefore, to understand your objection to what you term "the present attitude of tho Racing Conference." : 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 comb'ine for the T)urpose i of harmoniously treating with 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 the sport by the mere brute force of such a weapon as a strike. The non-recognition _of the Now Zealand Jockeys' Association, organised and led by persons outside the body of licensed - jockeys, is explained bv the fact that it has resorted to this extreme method of obtaining its end. It has barred the transport of hotrsos and jockeys to race meetings; it has declared racecourses themselves black, and has warned tho public to refrain from attending them. While pretending > that tho jockeys have been victimised by owners and cluhs, it has been guilty of a far more serious victimisation by threatening and terrorising jockeys who do not conform to its behests. It is ctear, if racinn; is to be conducted to tho common advantage of owners, jockeys, and the public, that its' regulation cannot no in tho hands of a body adopting such an attitude. If the association had been organised by the jockeys themselves, and if they had come with reasonable propositions to the Racing Conference their reception would havo been cordial, as has been proved by the interview, already alluded to, between tho president the jockeys who recently waited upon him. It has been asserted that the racing authorities have slammed the door in the face of the jockeys. The very reverse is the case, as the perusal of the orderpaper for the approaching Racing Conference will testify. You, on your part, may be urged "to realise the very heavy responsibility which you are rarrvrrig" when von press, under threats, for of the New Zealand Jockeys' Association by the Racing Conference at a time when the Racing Conference is offering to the Jockeys ©very facility of representing their' request's, nnd you may do good service to the cause which you apparently have at heart by pnrsuadincr all rone'erned to adopt the constitutional means provided hy tho Rules of Racing for remedying all such matters as they nl!l _ f OR I tn require adjustment.— Yours faithfully (Sgd.) H. R. Sellers, secretary. . FULLY RESIGNATIONS. CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. Replying to the statement by Mr Sheath, secretary of tho Jockeys' Association, Fir George Clifford states that fullv ninety jockeys have informed him that they have resigned from