PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9143, 27 August 1888, Page 6

PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB.

The weekly meet of the Pakuranga hounds took place on Saturday afternoon at Alberton, the residence of Mr. A. K. Taylor, and there was a good muster of the members of the Club, as well as of the general public, including a number of ladies. Mr. Taylor entertained the company in the most hospitable manner, taking care that none should leave his residence hungry as hunters, however keen they might feel for sport. The afternoon, with the exception of a few showers at the close, held up fine, the air being cool and bracing, in fact, in every way adapted for the chase. Amongst those present were:—Mr. W. Percival (master of the hounds), on Quilp ; Colonel Shepherd, on Daybreak ; Mr, J. Rae, on Macaroni ; Mr. Hayr, on Ma Petite Fille ; Mr. Stephens, on Reform; Mr. Nolan, on a ch colt; Mr. J. Wallace, on Monk ; Mr. J. Dunnett, on a big brown horse; Miss Dunnett, on Sir Roger ; Mr. Tonks, on Odd Trick ; Mr. Perry, on Whalebone. Amongst the ladies present were : —The Misses Taylor, the Misses Garrett, Miss Gittos, Miss Daveney, and others. The drag having been laid by Messrs. Bishop and Kelly, the hounds cast off the scent, leading to the lake and flat country at the back of Mount Albert, and thence round the back of the mountain back to Alberton. There were a number of stiff stone walls to negotiate, which tried the quality of the horses and the pluck of the . riders. Amongst the first to come to grief was the master, whose stirrup leather came away from the saddle at the very first jump, but with the help of Mr. Rae ne recaptured Quilp, and was soon again in the chase apparently none the worse for his mishap. There were several other spills, but no one was hurt, and the pace was brisk and merry throughout, but the hounds lost the scent at the back of the mountain, and did not pick it up again. After a spell at • Alberton a fresh drag was laid by Messrs. Williamson and Harford, who took it through the Epsom district, over a very stiff country, the posts and rails being truly formidable, so much so that some were fain to seek convenientopenings through friendly gateways or slip-panels. After a splendid run, in which the hounds were constantly in full cry, the hunt terminated at the Royal Oak Hotel, near Onehunga. All present enjoyed the sport, and those who were unable to follow the hounds were able to keep them in view for the most part from the old Onehunga Road, and had, therefore, the satisfaction of seeing the jumping and watching the hunt.