The Labour World.

Southland Times, Issue 18816, 8 May 1920, Page 10

The Labour World.

(Conducted by D. Scott). I know labour is narrow; 1 know she is aggressive; I know she areas herself with the best weapon that a ®f erra P* cmi ’ isation furbishes —all true. Where do we get these ideas? Borrowed them from Capital, every one of them, awl when you advance to us on the level of armed, well meet yoa on. the BMne, Wtute you combine and plot and defend, so will we.—Wen del Phillips. Wasting*—The sport of Kings apparently carries with it a penalty to those who have to cam their living by it, the facts as given by the N.Z, Jockeys Association cannot be given too much publicity and are taken from the (jivy xuver Azgua, the Labour daily pubtised at Greymouth : . The moot important request m «e W of demands made by the New Zmmm Jockey’s Awociatwn on racing clubs is that for the abolition of the 6ot 71b mm*mum weight and the substiluton of a 7rt minimum. The assodatica gives the foUowmg reason why the 6st 71b minimum should be done isray with.;— “Becaoao there is not a jocfeiy ra Nerw Zealand who can ride fct 71b. etc very few apprentices but* the number w bo small that they hardly count. If the Raanjt; passed * ml© tfcat no overweight were to be allowed to be carried, the 6st 71b minimum would vanish in a second. Such a thing as ewerweigbt being carried, as in this country, is unknown in other countries. “The Education Act of this count* y that com pda beds to attend school until they have passed a certain standard materially altera the reason why the 6st 71b minimum that could be carried out in the past can no longer be carried out. Lads now cannot enter the riding profession as early as they could some years ago, so our second season is that compliance with the law now prevents the 6st 71b minimum remaining any longer in existence in this country. "Why should the inferior horse be catered for and bolstered up any kmger ? If we are genuine in our often repeated statements about improving the stiunna, etc, of oar biaaefl does it not appear to you that these statements are not borne oat by the retention of the Cot 71b minimum ? We certainly think that tbe good handicap horses of to-day are unjustly treated by the endeavour to keep tbe 6st 78) class of horse in handicap races. They have absolutely no right whatever to be in. ‘Tf racing cannot exist without the fist 71b dasi of home, the clubs can give than races for their particular dans, and we suggest that the minimum for then be mads 7st 61b. ‘Bow many members of your dub are swan of the dreadful sufferings the majority of jockeys go through year in and year out keeping their weight down to carry out their calling? Spend a few days with jockeys previous to a meeting and see for yuumelves what they go through, and we are certain ymsr dub would not be a party to give mxppcct for one day longer to such an inhuman and cruel system as the Gat 71b minimum inflicts upon jockeys. “Jest picture jockeys going for day* - without a meal, opening medicine taken i daily, ripping and destroying all that is i good in their stomachs, at the same time taking Turkish hatha daily, coming out of the baths exhausted, nerves on edge, hardly able to speak civil to anyone. “Surety your clubs can see the advantage that would ensue; the jockey will have bis full strength and vitality to enable him to do justice to his mount. Under present conditions be leaves moat of that m the Turkish baths or in sweat, and at the penalty of serious abstinence from food. “Tbe whole system, in our opinion, si an absurdity , and dubs which insist igvto its retention are atidng and expect from jockeys while in this state, what is impassible. “We are certain {hat the aiwfitwu of the 6.7 minimum would be a bleating to everynee. Ownerh and tniaos would have their horses handled much better. Interferences during the running of races, caused in most instances through jockeys not bring in a fit state to do justice to their mounts, would be practically eliminated. All over-weights would bo ahwlitihed, and owners would then find jockeys at tbe correct weight to ride their horses. There is sot a meeting now witfwrt a large number bf ‘rurmcTß haring to carry overweight, and apprentice races are no exception. Surely yon will agree with my executive that a system that eaaaes jockeys to resort to stimulants and pick-me-ups (in most cases strong drink) is a rotten system, and should be wiped sot at once, and my executive feds certain that now your dob knows the tree facts they can rely on your whole-hearted port to obohrfi immediately such an unsatisfactory state of affairs. “Good riders were never scarcer than they are to-day. Is the reason far to seek ? My executive does not think so, A system that pubs each good riders as Sid Reid, R. Hatch, and H. Rohansoui practically out of the game, when they are in their prime must be wrong. Weak! it not be more sattifactory to everyone if jockeys, when they reach tbe height of their career should remain in the profession, than be putired out of the game, so that horses weighted at 6.7 up to 7ct might stiQ continue racing? < %archr sack reasons ns aw set out here wSI be the means of your dnb Bomedixteiy deciding to abolish the 6.7 minim am, and if you do so (as we earnestly hope yew will) you will earn the everlasting thanks of ©very jockey in the Dominion. “The Dunedin Jockey Club have grrea the 7st minimum a good trial, and experience has shown them that it is aa unqualified success; so much so, that they are not only retaining tbe 7et mnaßWin, but they arc leaving no stone unturned to induce other clube to adopt it. Therefore, if it has proved a boon to the Dunedin Club, will it not also prove a boon to your chib? ‘■Surely you wilt agree that a calling that cannot be carried oat without having to resort to such drastic methods for jockeys to keep weight off must condemn itneif. My executive contends that if the ft.7 minimum is done away with jockeys could follow their calling without having to resort to such dreadful suffering m they do at the present time. Any doctor will describe what will be the ultimate end of these jockeys for doing such acts contrary to the law of nature.’* The Living Wage.—A motion passed at the last meeting of the Tharndon branch of the Amalgamated Society of Radway Servant? traverses the whole problem of wages and the standard of living to b« aimed at by labour. It reads as foUmro:— “That this branch o i the AJS.R.B. protests against tbe widespread betief that wages should be fixed on a eort-of-firfeg basis, and asserts that the idea is pemicfous and intolerable, as it means potting ptogress in chains and liberty in fettere It means fixing a standard of liberty and a standard of living which must remain fixed, and as workers we cannot accept that proposition. We demand a progressively advancing standard of Efe, ,arid have an abiding faith in a bettor future for all mankind. We discard and denounce a system of fixing wages aolely on the basis of toe family budgets and bread-and- baiter bills, and emphatically maintain that workers have a right not only to a living, but modern society most provide more than is understood by the term, ‘a living.’ R must concede to ail workers a fairer reward for their contribution to society, a contribution without which a progressive civilisation is impossible. Labour understands folly that powerful interests today are determined to achieve reaction in industry if possible; they seek to disband or cripple the organisations of the workers, to lower toe standard of living, and to keep from restriction thrir power to manipulate and fix prices. Labour must be, and is, militant in toe struggle to combat these sinister influences and tendencies ; it will not permit a reduction in the standard of living, nor will it. consent to reaction towards autocratic control. *