THE TOTALISATOR MACHINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6996, 19 April 1884, Page 6

THE TOTALISATOR MACHINE.

TO THE EDITOR. - Sib,—Kindly allow me space to correct a statement made by Mr. G. W. Heslop regarding the totalisator collapse, also to give the plain facts regarding the same. When consulted by the Auckland Racing Club as to whether the totalisators could be attached to a series of levers and worked from a bench, I, with-' out hesitation, said yes, I woald undertake to attach them to the machine built by me, and guarantee it to work correctly, stamping tickets at the same time, which it did all the day, the accounts coming out correot to a penny. When first asked I refused to have anything to do with the one that collapsed, bearing the name of O. W. Heslop. The Auckland Racing Club, being desirous to have them all working by the levers, I afterwards decided to do the work, taking it for granted the machine had been- put in working order. My reason at first for refusing was on account of its having to be closed, and not allowed to work. On- the first day it was used at the Summer Meeting, the mechanism being defeotive, causing serious loss to the A.R.C., who have given me per. mission to use the following figures, which will show the loss at Summer Meeting : — First race, £150; steeplechase, on No. 3 £50; and other losses, amounting in all to about £500; so I fail to see the satisfaction claimed by Mr. G. W. Heslop. Of course, had I: known earlier "the defects of the machine, as he must have done, I. should also have had nothing to do with it, though it -has been satisfactorily proved to the Auckland Racing Club that it was not the fault of the' levers, but the defeotive mechanism of'the machine. Apologising for taking up so much of your valuable apace, but in self-defence I feel it my duty to give publicity to the above.'—l am, &0.,< W. J. Botleb, Engineer, Wellesley-street.