SPORTING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 50, 28 February 1913, Page 3

SPORTING.

WANGANUI JOCKEY CLUB. (Per Press Association.) Wanganui, February 27. Tlie Wanganui Jockey Club’s autumn meeting opened to-day in dull but fine weather. The totalise tor handled £23,675, as against £22,179 for the first day last year. Additional results are as follows : WANGANUI CUP, 0f'750 so vs; 1 mile and three-quarters. Tiresome G.B, (R. Berry) ... ... 1 Bronze, 8.4 (A. Oliver) ... ... 2 Mira, 8.5 (L. Wilson) 3 All started. A splendid race. Won by three-quarters of a length, the third horse one length away. Time, 3min 4sec. Juvenile Handicap, of 150 soys; 5 furlongs.—Peronilla, 9.5, 1 ; Eocene, 8.8, 2; Astor, 6.13, 3. All started. Won by a length and a half. Time, Imin 2 3-ssec. Wiritoa Hack Handicap, of 110 sovs; one mile.—Postillion, 8.5, 1; White Crane, 7.3, 2; Patronymic, 8.7, 3. Yladinoy 8.0, Lochgar 7.0, Austin 7.0, and Silver Rose 7.0, were scratched. Won by half a length. Time Imin 14sec. Flying Handicap, of 300 sovs.; six furlongs.—Autumnus, 8.0, 1; Makara, 7.4, 2; Gratton, 7.0, 3. Crown Pearl 8.5, and Phroso 7.5, were scratched. Won by a length. Time, Imin 14 2ssec. A NEW TOTALISATOR. Under the laws of New Zealand, racing clubs are somewhat handicapped with the present system of totalisator working, and a lot of valuable time is lost in adjusting the figures on the machines after betting has yea sod. The sporting writer of the Auckland Star says: An Australian, in Mr Hodsdon, claims to have solved the problem, and his machines are now working in every town in Australia, except Perth, where the totalisator is in use, and also in India. The inventor has brought over to Auckland a small four-horse machine to submit to the authorities, and the writer was privileged to have a look at the invention when it was tried in the presence of several experts on Monday afternoon. The machine is simplicity itself, and the wonder is that it was not thought of before, for in addition to issuing 2000 tickets per minute with 30 sellers, it is claimed that it is absolutely impossible for a mistake to he made. In working the machine each seller has a board ip front of him on which the required number of horses is marked and affixed to the hoard and opposite each number is a receptacle for holding the tickets for that particular number. To issue the ticket, the (seller simply turn;a handle, the ticket is released, and also a steel marble. Tlhe marble drops through a tube and travels along to another machine, with correspond ing numbers, and a lever is pullet by a person registering the totals. Thi; registers the number on the horse. the marble is again released and travels to another machine, where anoth - er pull of a lever registers the grand total. A£s ticket or a £lO ticket can be issued just as easily, for the dropping of either, releases fivp or ten marbles as the case may be. In South Australia the machine has a record of 20,000 tickets per race issued in ten minutes, and after seeing the machine working all doubts on this point are quickly dispelled. There is nothing complicated about, the working, and the general impression of those who witnessed its working on Monday was that Mr Hodsdon had succeeded in fulfilling the requirements of New Zealand racing clubs. Mr Hodsdon is arranging to give a public trial of the machine to the committee of the Auckland Racing Club, with a view to giving, them an opportunity of installing it at Ellerelie.