THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1331, 3 December 1883, Page 2

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

The following is the conclusion of Mr Moncure Conway'B description of the Melbourne Cup day, published in the Australasian. Ah ? I had almost forgotton to say that there were also some races at <

Flemington. Several times I managed to turn round from gazing on the human attractions, and observed little islets of variegated caps and sashes moving around a pear-shaped course, dark streaks of steeds beneath them, and foam of dast in their wake. Even then the strained sinews of the horses, the tension of their riders, were less pleasing than the single voice of the vast crowd as it rose from the low hum, the excited murmur, to the wild cheer and shout that drown the horses* muffled drum-beat. The Cup race was indeed fine, and the horses as they swept round the course looked magnificent; equally beautiful races, however, I had seen, but never scene at once brilliant and impressive as the human part of the Cap Day. I cannot but believe that the latter is its paramount interest* and the racing only the traditional form with which a national festival has been incidentally connected. Some" persons, indeed, I hid the pleasur4'o| lneeting yesterday, others were pointed out to me, who had come from distances, too great to have been traversed for the sake of a few horse-races. One need only consider the momentous effects which have been made upon national character in all tame by influences whose apparent centres were national sports to understand why the Melbourne Cap Bay is oherised with suoh strong feel* ing, and to feel tolerably certain that by and through it important forces are at work. o All of these forces may, indeed, not be healthful; it would certainly appear, if rumors are to be trusted, that the bad practice of betting runs dangerously high during the race week. Can it be that someone has won seventy thousand on the double event of the Derby and the Cup t If so, the fact is not unlikely to be somewhat demoralising. One cannot help respecting the justice which refuses to interfere with the poorer classes when they risk their earnings so long as betting on suoh a huge scale is permitted to the wealthy. That, too, is an improvement on London, where boysplaymgatpitch-and-toss for halfpennies are sometimes arrested by the police near the door of Tattersail's where rich men venture their thousands. The laws against betting have very little moral effect when so inequitably administered. It is the opinion of sotne shrewd students of human nature that betting cannot be prevented by any law, and possibly that is true, but surely it would add much to the honors already gained by those who have given the Flemington races so many perfections, if they could regulate and reduce the system of betting. So grand a scene, so healthful a diversion should surely, if possible, be elevated above the gambling associations which excite the alarm of many parents and the hostility of philanthropic men. It ncay appear Utopian to imagine that Melbourne can achieve what has been found impossible in France, England, and America; but if Melbourne has surpassed them all in the beauty and charm with which it has invested an ancient sport — as it certainly has — why may it not surpass them also by abolishing the one- great drawback to an otherwise healthful and harmless. amusement 1