HUNTING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue XXII, 30 May 1896, Page 628

HUNTING.

BY ONLOOKER. LAST Wednesday the Pakuranga hounds met at the Monument, Otahuhu, near Auckland, where the sport for hunters was rather marred by an accident which happened to Miss Percival. Her horse turned a complete somersault over a wire fence, falling upon the rider, and rendering her unconscious for some time. The hounds with the huntsman had all the sport to themselves. All the followers, who, of course, are not numerous (about fifteen in number) on a Wednesday, stayed behind to see if they could be of any assistance. Last Saturday the hounds met at Ihumata, about fifteen miles from Auckland. A few of the hospitable members provided an excellent luncheon for the Viceregal party and hunters. It made such a charming picture to see the knot of horsemen and horsewomen, with vehicles in the centre, partaking of the provisions provided by Mrs O’Rorke, Mrs McLaughlin, Mrs Dawson, Mrs Thomas Morrin, Mrs Buckland, etc. A grassy knoll was chosen by the ladies for their picnic party. There were plenty of pussies, so we had some excellent sport. Our longest run was about three-quarters of an hour in duration, passing through creeks girth deep in mud, and over fences, ditches and walls at a rattling pace. Many were seen to come to grief, but the gentler sex, of whom about a dozen were following, stuck womanfully to their pig-skins Mr Caminer and steed madean acrobaticalcircleoversome wire ; Captain Fielden and Fly went a somersault over a stiff sapling jump, and an officer from one of the men-o’-war ships in harbour turned acomplete circle in the airover a stone wall. Another man was seen to ride gallantly to a wall, the horse taking the jump in the neatest style possible, but the rider calmly preferred a complete revolution in the air, and landed in a sitting posture on mother earth. We had two kills, after which afternoon tea was partaken of. This brought the hunt to a finish, and many were the expressions of pleasure at the afternoon's outing. The whole of these runs were witnessed by the onlookers from Ihumata Mountain, a capital place for seeing. Amongst those en voiture were His Excellency the Governor, Lady Dorothy Boyle, Lady Helen Boyle, and Miss Williams ; Mrs Dennis O’Rorke and Miss Shepherd ; Mrs (Colonel) Dawson and Miss Elliot ; Mrs McLaughlin, Mrs Buckland, Miss Phcebe Buckland, Miss Banks, Mrs Thomas Morrin, Miss Percival, and Miss Griffiths. Riding were Lady Augusta Boyle, attended by Captain Preston and Captain Fielden, Mrs Bloomfield, Mrs Buckland, Miss Dunnett (on a new steed, Opawa), Miss Buckland, Miss Percival (who had recovered from her fall sufficiently to be once more mounted), Misses Kerr-Taylor, Bull, Cornelius Taylor, Tribley, Eaton, Ware, Sellers, Tanner, Colonel Dawson (our master), Messrs Mills, Wallace, Bell, Ireland, Harrison, Tonks, Bloomfield, Kerr-Taylor, McLaughlin (two; Colson, Motion, Caminer, Nolan, Isaacs, Gordon, etc.