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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 907, 8 January 1881, Page 3

The Melbourne Cup is undoubtedly one of Victoria’s greatest institutions. It brings all classes together. Mark what Mr. R. C. Bagot, the secretary of the Victorian Racing Club, says of it. In his evidence before the select committee appointed to inquire into the working of tbe totalisator be said : —“ lam of opinion very strongly that the totalisator wil be the means of annihilating the biggest lot of rogues there are in the world —that is, the mushroom bookmakers, who numbered over 700 upon the hill of the Melbourne racecourse last Cup Day. Did you hear of any cases of defaulters upon the hill ? Yes ; any number of the lowest class of thieves, who come dowm to stand reserve when they get the money of the people on the hill. They came below to try their hand and paid their Bs. The change ticket is Bs. Having paid 2s, the change ticket is Bs.” Mr. Bagot thinks at least 200 totalisators will be required to meet the speculative spirit on the Cup Day. The introduction will be the signal for a large number of the gentlemen now metalicians to take to work a little more arduous.

Mr. R. J. Creighton, editor of tbe San Francisco Post, thus describes the social state of that city : —“We declare emphatically that the greatest moral reformer who could appear in San Francisco at the present time would be a legally-commissioned hangman, to execute the lawful sentences of duly-constituted Courts. But the hangman does not appear, because the sentences are not pronounced, and innocent blood cries in vain from the ground. Is it to be wondered at, therefore, if the nonpayment of five cents in a reckoning of 70 cents for beer should be held to justify murder as it was by a coroner’s jury in this city recently, when such loose ideas prevail regarding the value of human life ? The other day a respectable citizen of San Francisco was shot through the body on the Bodie stage because he was too crowded to make “ more room ” for a fellow traveller who demanded it. Why not ? Personal convenience, aud inclination are of greater consequence, apparently, than a man’s life, and the murderer is sure of all the gushing sympathy around, no matter what may be the misery inflicted upon the helpless family of the victim. Human life is of no value. It is the only thing on the Pacific Slope which may be taken with impunity. The law against murder is a dead-letter. It has apologists in the press, pulpit, and forum.”