HUNTING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue I, 4 July 1896, Page 16

HUNTING.

BY

ONLOOKER.

THE Paknranga hounds met last Saturday at the Monument, Otahuhu, and thence they went on to Grey’s farm, about two miles farther. The day was a beautifully warm one, almost too hot for winter. There was a really good field of sportsmen, and a great number of our steeplechase horses were out. Some capital runs were indulged in. The fencing being trappy, brought many to mother earth. Slip panels with nasty take offs, and landing and gates, etc., were cleverly negotiated by a few. Especially the jumping of the ladies attracted my attention, as they flew over in their usual business-like style, seeming perfectly callous to fear. Hares were very numerous. Amongst those present mounted I noticed Mrs Bloomfield (Blue Peter}, Miss Gorrie (Jimmy), Miss McLaughlin (on her pretty jumping grey Cattian), Miss Percival (Tommy), Miss Roberts (Molly Hawke), Miss Cornelius Taylor(Tim), Miss Kerr-Taylor (Nimrod), Misses Gorrie, Tanner, Dunwoodie, Sellers, Messrs O’Rorke, B. Dawson, Carminer, Harrison, Bloomfield, Nolan, Tonks, Wynyard, Rae, Ireland, Buckland, Gordon (two), Colonel Dawson, etc. Driving were Mrs (Colonel) Dawson and Miss; Elliot, Mrs Dennis O’Rorke, Mrs Greenway and Mrs Hope Lewis, Mr and Mrs McLaughlin, Mr Tanner, etc. A splendid spot was chosen by us, the onlookers, on top of the flag station hill, where every move could be faithfully watched, and the hounds looked very picturesque when in full cry across the green paddocks, followed by the huntsmen in red and the gay cavalcade.

The Poverty Bay hounds met on Thursday at the Freezing Works paddocks for hare-hnnting. There was a large field, and the hounds worked well. Two hares were started, but only one was got away into the open. After a smart though rather short gallop, this one, too, got back into the big manuka paddock, and after some time the hounds were drawn off and a drag started. The ladies following were Miss Reynolds (Kildare), Miss N. Reynolds (Lofty), Miss R. Reynolds (Ginger), Miss Conny Reynolds (Primrose), Miss R. Rees (Paddy), Miss Sherratt (Angus), Miss L. Tucker (The Flea). Amongst the gentlemen present I noticed Mr Buckland (Jim), Mr Speedy (Oaklands), and Messrs Dewing, Evans, Bennett, Martin, Tucker, and a good many others.

The Christchurch Hunt Club has decided to have a week for the purpose of holding races for farmers’ horses.

Mr E. D. O’Rorke, of Auckland, and Mr Herbert Jackson, of Hawke’s Bay, have presented some hounds to the newly-formed Egmont Hunt Club, which is rapidly increasing in strength.

The Dunedin Hounds had a fine muster at the Broackacres the other day, among those present being Messrs Gourley, McKay, Richie, Ellis, T. Godfrey, L. Hazlett, Oldham, Mill, T. McKay, J. Smith, the Whip (J. Bamber), Paget, McKelcher, Reid, Newman, Lang, G. Smith, Misses Wood, Fagan, Fortescue, and Mrs Swanston.

The Rangitikei Hunt Club and Brackenfield Hounds meet on the 4th inst.

The next meet of the South Canterbury Club is on the 9th, at Saltwater creek.

The members of the United Hunt Club entertained the farmers of the Hutt and Taita at dinner last night, when Mr D. G. A. Cooper proposed the toast, ‘ The farmers of the Hutt,’ and Mr Milne gave the toast of * The United Hunt Club.’ Songs, recitations, and dancing followed, and ‘all went merrv as a marriage bell.’