STABLE HANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1939, Page 6

STABLE HANDS

DEMANDS FOR NEW AWARD. DISCUSSED BY RACING OWNERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. “Are we to become a sort of chopping block for any of these boys who come along?" asked Mr J. B. Pearson, in pointing out the difficulty of obtaining suitable labour for stable work, when the question was discussed at the annual meeting of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Racing Owners’, Breeders an Trainers’ Association last evening. In stating that members were bound to keep to the terms of the agreement entered into with the stable hands, Mr H. Nurse said he was sorry to see that some trainers who had promised to honour the agreement had not done so. “Some trainers seem to have the fortune to secure decent boys to work for them, but a lot cannot get them,” said Mr Pearson. “What redress have we if we can’t get reliable boys? The boys have a union and they are going to stand with their backs to the wall, and say they want this at and that.” “You do not expect to get a genius for 30s a week." retorted Mr Nurse. “No, and if they were overburdened with intelligence they would not be in the game, and neither would we,” was Mr Pearson's parting shot. Referring to stable-hands later. Mr Nurse said the boys Had drawn up conditions forming their demands to replace the old award, which had expired.

Mr E. C. Parker said that in his youth he had worked in the North Island and conditions and wages were no better there than in the South Island, the average wage being 25s or 30s a week.

“Some do not pay that here.” said the Hon G. R. Hunter. “Some even pay as low a wage as 10s a week.”