MELBOURNE.

Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 794, 21 November 1865, Page 2

MELBOURNE.

(moai otjb. own correspondent.) 4tb November, 1885. It is an old—and is not by any means an exploded notion —that the inhabitants of a tropical or semi-tropical country lose, to a certain extent, their energies and that love of active exccrcise so eagerly sought for in colder climes. This argument, so far as Victoria is concerned, is ■most certainly refuted in the one instance of horse-racing; for of all the amusements (of which we have so many) that of horse-racing certainly holds its own, and excites an amount of interest—not to be surpassed even in that “horsey” portion of the globe, England. In fact, I question if the result of any English annual race causes so much speculation amongst all classes as the result of our spring Meetinv cax ses in ani around Melbourne. Since my last letter very little else has occupied the attention of the public ; —even oar political crisis was shelved, to make room iu the thoughts of men as to which would be most advisable —to give or take the odds. On Thursday, Melbourne was a city of business but for a few hours in the morning ; by midday, banks, offices, and stores began to close ; conveyances of every description thronged the streets; cabmen became vocife-

rous, and insisted upon conveying everyone t® lie racecourse for 2s (id ; tile route to the Spen-cer-street railway terminus became .thickly populated, and carriages and pairs, carriages and fours, one-horse traps, brilliant steeds, and weedy hacks all began to pour through the city, northward bound ; and in another hour the excitement became intense.' -Brown met Jones, and it was 4 to I against the Rose ; Jones met Smith, and it was 6 to' 1 against Musidora. Innocent, mild-looking youths assumed a fieldglass, a cigar, and a knowing look; whilst “ heavy cards,” noth heavy, thoughtful brows, dashed through the streets in heavy drags, drawn by four heavy horses. In the midst of all were to be seen the lively race card vendors, risking life and limb—especially in Bourke-street —by rushing frantically under horses’ heads, and between carriage wheels, offering “a irue and ‘ k’rect’ card of the race for one shilling.” Another hour and Melbourne was deserted, so that had a “ new chum” fresh from the Bay, by any chance have found his way into Collinsstreet, he would undoubtedly have considered the queen city of Victoria a very tame affair.— But not so on the course : there, not less than 20 000 spectators had assembled, comprising not only the elite of Melbourne, but to a certain extent that of the neighboring colonies. The ladies mustered remarkably strong ; in fact, so many attended that the Grand Stand "would hardly accommodate them. The great event of the day was the race for the Melbourne Cup, for which 20 horses were entered, and 23 started —amongst them three Tasmanian horses of repute, Poet, Songster, and Minstrel. Mr If. Fisher’s Bose of Denmark was the first favorite in betting. The field was well got off, and the whole lot took to their work as if they all intended coming in together. But the pace was too much, and, presently, a few began to draw ahead ; one by one the favorites lagged behind—sporting mea began to wonder, and others didn’t understand, —when all of a sudden a little old grev pony, named Tory Boy, and owned by Mr B, C. Marshall, cleared himself from the ruck, took the lead, and kept it up to the winning point—winning by at least two lengths ahead of the next horse, Panic. At the start betting was 100 to 5 against Tory Boy. All three of the Tasmanian horses were too much inj nred to show up in the other matches of the day, the winners of which were as follows ; Maiden* Plate —Mr W. C. Yuille’s Day and Martin (late Charles Albert.) Ascot Vale Stakes —Mr H. Fisher’s Seagull. Hurdle Bace —Mr T. Coker’s Prince. Darling Stakes —Mr P. Dowling’s Falcon. Yesterday (Friday) the attendance was good, though much inferior to that of Thursday, as is generally the case on the middle day of a threeday’s racing ; however (the fraternity excepted), sporting men made a good show, and the running was allowed to be excellent. The first match of the day—the Boyal Park Stakes—excited some little extra attention, from the fact that O. K. and Sir Patrick, two New South "Whiles horses, were to ran for them. The race was a smart one, and was won by Mr Fisher’s Sign. The Derby fell to that gentleman’s horse Angler-; the Spring Handicap to Mr B. F. Greene’s Gwendoline ; the Corinthian Cup to Mr Dowling’s magnificent old horse Panic ; and the Oakes to Mr Fisher’s Lady Heron. The final match of the day—the Flying Stakes — were carried off’ by Mr Walduck’s Minstrel. The result of to-day’s racing I shall not be able to let you know. An immense concourse is expected, and everything is in favor of their being one. Firstly, it is Saturday (a half-holi-day) ; secondly, it is the Steeple Chase day, and what Englishman will not go out of his way to see half-a-dozcn men striving to break their own and their horses necks ? Mr Townsend the rate collector for Sandhurst has absconded. Business generally is very dull, and provisions high. Flour is quoted at from £25 to £3O. (Adelaide Brands) Chilian is taken up freely at £25. Oats are held at 6s. Bran is scarce. Maize continues firm. It is stated that a meeting of the supporters of the Ministry is to be held on Tuesday next to determine what steps are to be taken in consequence of the decision of the Supreme Court Judges in favor of the various soft goods firms who have recently brought action against the Queen for the recovery of Customs duties illegally paid. It is perhaps worthy of notice that neither upon the arrival nor at the departure of his Excellency Sir Charles Darling to and from the race-course on Thursday was a solitary attempt made to raise a cheer—a fact, I believe, unprecedented in the annals of Victoria. An application was made in chambers on Thursday, before Mr Justice Barry, for the discharge of an insolvent who had, on a complaint before a district Magistrate, been ordered to pay a sum cf money, and who had been sentenced to 10 days’ imprisonment in default. t he motion was based on the 37th section of the Insolvent Act, which prohibited all actions asaiust the ins live it after his estate was sequestrated. The chief point involved was whether a complaint was inclii! e I in the term actions ; and his Honor made the order of discharge as asked. Several gentlemen who, it was understood, had roue to tl e races, were fined £2 each for nonattendance as jurors. Owing to the absence of rain, our agriculturists are looking forward to very indifferent crops this coming season. A man of the name of John Parry is in the hands of the police at Woodspoint, charged with stabbing one Ebenezer Parry, better known as ' ‘ Welsh George, ” whose wounds are of so serious a nature that lie is not expected to recover. The Upper Carwa Begatta, fo be held at the “Saltwater Biver” on the 6th instant, is expected to be a brilliant affix r. j The project of building a Masonic Hall in ' Melbourne, which has bet n several times mooted, has again been revive 1, ai d at a meeting recently ecld it was stated that subscriptions io the airoui t <">f £3700 had be?n x roursed. A motion was ultimately agreed to that the old committee be communicated with, and arrange-

Baents’made to ensure the completion of the [ necessary canvas. A testimonial of £5 0 has been presented to Mr W. Fraser, M.L.A.. by lis constituents. The Hero, s.s., from Port Chalmers, arrived in -Hobson’s Bay on Tuesday, 31st nit. She reports passing the s.s. ( hand Hamilton on the 26th ult., and the s.s. Gothenburg on the 28th nit. The former was steering eastward, and the latter was 200 miles eastward of Swan Island. The s.s. Barwon arrived from Hokitika on the Ist inst. She passed the Rangitoto, bound eastward, off Cape Liptrap. The s.s. South Australian, from Port Chalmers, arrived in Hobson’s Bay yesterday.