SWEEPS ON RACES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4589, 4 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

SWEEPS ON RACES.

The Melbourne Age says:—“ For some years ■past a sweepstake on the Melbourne Gup has been carried on at the Bull and Mouth Hotel, by Mr. Miller, a well-known sporting character, which has been known as ‘ Miller's £IOOO Sweep.’ The shares, which are sold at £1 each, have been purchased by persons in every grade of society; the large amount of £9OO, paid to the holder of the first horse, proving sufficient attraction to enable the projector to complete the list of shareholders with hut little difficulty. The sweep on the Cup race, which has just passed, was got up and carried out as usual, tod Mrs. Gambles, the wife of the chemist in Bourke-street, is said to have been tbe fortunate winner of the £9OO prize. The action recently taken with regard to sweeps in the country districts, under the section of the Police Offences Statute passed some time ago for the especial purpose of suppressing betting shops, and under which convictions have been obtained against the of one or two establishments of that description in this city, had somewhat disconcerted the projector of the sweep ; and he greatly feared that his operations this year would be stopped by the authorities. No official notice was taken of the announcement of the sweep, and after some time the shares having been fully taken up, the projector brought the affair to au issue with greater confidence. Still there was some uneasiness about the drawing of the sweep, and it being imagined that the drawing constituted the illegal portion of the matter, it was determined to evade the law by haring the sweep drawn out of the colony. An announcement appeared some weeks before the Cup day, headed ‘ Observations taken off (Jape Howe,’ followed by a series of figures w hich were understood by the initiated to represent the numbers of to participate in the prizes distributed. It was thought by . some that the sweep was arranged on the , high sqas, but that was not the case, as it was drawn in Sydney. So far all appeared safe, and the most of the money has been paid over, all concerned being totally unaware that any action could be taken in the matter. Notwithstanding the secrecy with which the inquiries and the collection of the data necessary for theinstitution of proceedings have been carried out, the fact has at last oozed out that Detective Duncan has been watching every detail connected with the conduct of the sweep, and has procured all the information necessary to commence a prosecution of the principals, and a large number of shareholders in the sweep, for being illegally concerned in a gambling transaction. It is stated that in a few days matters will be brought to a climax, and the attention of the police magistrates will be engaged with the consideration of a case in which it is expected some hundreds of persons will be implicated, and which will probably occupy several days in investigation.