THE JOCKEYS’ DISPUTE.

Southland Times, Issue 18847, 12 June 1920, Page 2

THE JOCKEYS’ DISPUTE.

To the Editor. Sir, —Your sporting editor, Sir Modred, has a lengthy paragraph in this morning’s Times about the .jockeys’ Association or union. He would have done better to keep this out of the column headed “Sporting.” When again writing on this subject he would do your valuable paper more credit by keeping nearer to facts. First, he says that there has been a cry for some years past from all people connected with racing that stable help is hard to procure and efficient jockeys few and far between. Now, I have had six stable hands all the year and three jockeys, nine in all. If I had needed eighteen I could easily have got them. We will see about the efficient riders. In the Brighton Handicap at Dunedin last week there were fifteen started. All had riders and in the jockeys’ room there were twelve more jockeys who could ride well. Perhaps one needs to be in the Press Stand to see the efficient part of the profession. He does not stop there, hut blunders on to say, “has it struck those people in distress.” I would like to know who is in distress. The sporting writers of Southland have done more harm to the sport in the last ten 3'ears than anything I know. They have written down the local horsemen and pointed out the splendid horsemanship of Young, Jones and Co., when they have had the pick of the mounts. Now as to his wild ramble about the Doctors’ Union and his advice to owners and trainers. I have won more in stakes for Southland owners than any other trainer has won and can produce figures to pjove that all the owners but one are out of pocket. That one is Mr F. A. Price, who, thanks to that good horse Rorke’s Drift, is on the right side of the ledger. His winnings, 1 may here state, he has not taken out of the sport; but he has purchased Rorke’s Drift Lodge to give good accommodation to horses trained therein. He is also sport enough to ask only 2} per cent, on the purchase price of Rorke’s Drift Lodge while it is kept for a training establishment. Now where arc those association demands coming from? Are the losers going to lose more to jockej’s who are now (he most overpaid workers in the sport ? In conclusion ; that warning regarding the law reads nice. I think your sporting scribe is trying to push into the secretaryship of some labour union, which my experience of the trip on the special train from Dunedin makes me think is much needed. —I am, etc., PATRICK T. HOGAN. Rorke's Drift Lodge.