Tote clerk has to find $1237 overpaid

Press, 12 February 1980, Page 3

Tote clerk has to find $1237 overpaid

]PA Rotorua j Unless a patron who was (overpaid $1237 at the Roitorua. Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday returns the money the clerk who made the payment will have to refund it. The Waikato manager of Automatic Totalisators, Ltd, Mr D. Calderwood, said yesterday that the pay-out mistake had been made at one of the six dividend win-] dows on the members’ stand.

"The terms of employment are quite clear: each clerk is responsible for any mistake made,” said Mr Calderwell. The patron had presented $5O in five $lO tickets to the pay-out window on the winner of the Rotorua Challenge Stakes, Blue Denim. “The win dividend was $2.75" and the patron should have $137.50. “The clerk-has looked at

the $lO ticket, calculated it at 50, and then multiplied it by 50 instead of five,” said Mr Calderwood. “The tickets were not presented for payment after the race or the mistake would have been discovered much sooner,” he said.

It is thought the payment was made between the fifth and sixth races. “The clerk, who is one of the better ones, is in such a state of shock over the mis|take it is hard to find out I what really happened. I do | not think he has any idea who he paid out to,” said (Mr Calderwood. “It is hard to understand how someone can stand at the window and be overpaid more than $lOOO and not notice the mistake. I only hope the person comes forward and returns the money,” he said.