“GIVIS” ON MELBOURNE CUP “SWEEPS.”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 812, 7 December 1882, Page 2

“GIVIS” ON MELBOURNE CUP “SWEEPS.”

After a battle, the cries of the wounded; after a “ national fete ” Jike the Melbourne Cup day, the plaintive pipings of “ pigeons ” who have been plucked ! The Melbourne papers, under the head of “ Missing Friends,” contain dozens of advertisements like the following :—“ Will the two gentlemen who made the sweeps on the Hill, Cup day, on the Kensington Stakes, pay the money to C. N., because they are known. Address, C. Numa, Palmerston place, Carlton.” The “gentleman who made up a Lx sweep from Grand Stand, Maiden Plate,” is earnestly requested to communicate with several anxious inquirers. The “ gentleman holder Cup sweep, Hill,” is “ wanting,” and is mildly entreated to “please advertise.” The drawer of Assyrian in “ Cup sweep near the Stand” wants to know where he can get his money, and will “ feel obliged ” if the unknown sweepist would pay over Liß to the proprietor of the Albion Hotel. There was a sweep “ under the wire, Hill,” another “ rear of Grand Stand,” another at “ scratching board, Hill,” another “ on the lawn, opposite Press tent,” in all of which the sweeping seems to have been simply yet thoroughly done. In each case the sweepholder received a number of poundnotes, thrust upon him by (enthusiastic innocents, then disappeared in the crowd and quietly swept off the, lot. The contributors are now advertising for the stakeholders, under the designation of “ Missing Friends !” The ease with which a fool and his money are parted is great at any time ; on Cup day, it seems, the operation becomes ridiculously easy. Fools who want to part ” and cannot be happy until;they have parted, throng the course in thousands, and the sweepist harvests his pound notes as fast as he can rake them in. There is no fool so perfect in his vocation as the gambling fool. It is useless to legislate against gambling whilst public opinion is as it is, but something more might be done towards putting down sweeps. Fools who want to get rid of their pound notes should be made to content themselves with such facilities as are afforded by the totalisator. The totalisator at any rate can’t run away.