Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 5120x7168 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

DON'T FORGET TKE
JOCKEYS.
TO THE KI>rrOR.
Sir-The racing club in whose hand? tho
fractions resulting from tho totalizator may
be, have, it seems, a right to distribute such
fractions amongst charities at their discretion.
Might I suggest, therefore, that our two
leading clubs m particular, and' tha facias:
clubs in genera!, who have the right of
using the totalizator machine, should
remember and give heed to the
maxim that "Charity begins at home,:! in
their distribution of these fractions? Surely
in such a distribution no more worthy object
of charity exists than tho relief of injured or J
disabled jockeys, or of the wives and families |
of such jockeys as may loss their lives while
doing duty. These men, above all others,
may hr; sa:d to earn this money with
their lives in their hands, for a payment
which, when the arduous nature and risks of
their business are taken into account, is
inadequately small. Surely, while we hear of
the large amotint expended by . oar two
excollohtly managed leading racing clubs in
providing on a lavish scale for the comfort of
tbeir patrons, the claims of tbejockeys should
also be considered. Yet from time to time we
notice tbat otrt of the very considerable
amount of fractions distributed every year by
the various clabs, a vory small proportion in
deed is given to the " Distressed and Disabled
Jockeys ? Fund,*' which exists in connection
with the South Australian Jockey Club. For
instance in your issue of yesterday I notice
that out < of £147 53. distributed by the
8. A. J.O, only £20 is apportioned to this fund.
The balance is distributed to outside charities
-charities which have numerous other
sources of income from a generous public
which the Disabled Jockeys Fund has not.
And side by side with. this statement
X find the statement that a Dis
tressed and Disabled Jockey's Fund has
donated £20 to the widow and family
of the unfortunate jockey Hussey, who was
killed through an accident at Morphettville,
and at the same time £127 of the moneys
partly earned at the risk of his and other
jockeys' lives and limbs iB given to outside
charities, having no connection with racing.
So from time to time we learn of a jockey
with a broken log, which necessitates
some months* cessation from business, re
ceiving such Bums as £5 from the
fund. If all the fractions, or at
any rate, the major portion of them were re
served for the Disabled Jockeys' Fund that
fund would soon become, as it ought to be, a
fund which could support liberally a jockey
during any illness caused through accident,
or in case of death his widow and family, and
render tbom independent of any appeals to
public charity. I trust that these suggestions
will bo taken in the spirit in which they are
written*
I am. Sir, &c.,
JOHN C. HAMP.
Adelaide, May 19.
$