Buttons

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32274, 17 April 1970, Page 12

Buttons

Sir, —I agree wholeheartedly with “Home Dressmaker” regarding the poor quality and selection of buttons available in New Zealand. I have resorted to making self-covered buttons, whenever practicable, in preference to the shoddy ones offered in the shops. Mr Adams-Schneider should survey the range offered in other countries before stating that the public arc offered “a reasonable selection” and should obtain shopkeepers’. opinions regarding customers’ remarks before stating that he is “not aware of major dissatisfaction with the range of buttons available.” Then, perhaps, steps will be taken to improve the standard of these products.—Yours, etc., ANOTHER HOME DRESSMAKER. April 15, 1970. Koral’s 95c Dividend Sir, —Could the betting administrators explain how it was that the horse Koral paid 95c to win at a recent race meeting at Birchwood? Of the $1953 invested on the race, $1433 was on Koral. Thus $1361.35 was returned to Hie public. Over 30 per cent was retained for tax and profit. Is this the normal procedure? —Yours, etc., BETTER THE BOOKIE. April 7, 1970.

[Mr M. B. Smythe, general manager of the Totalisator Agency Board, replies: “The Totalisator Agency Board has nothing to do with the computation of dividends, being merely the agent for the oncourse totalisator. The dividends are computed by totalisator staff and are verified by Government inspectors. The method of assessing win dividends is: 17.82 per cent is deducted from the total pool (9.32 per cent is Government duty; 7.5 per cent goes to the club or T.A.B; 0.5 per cent is a levy for improvements to amenities oncourse). The net remainder pool is then divided by the number of units invested on the winning pool. This systtem is never varied; so it would seem that the figures quoted by the correspondent may not be quite correct.”]