HUNTING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue II, 11 July 1896, Page 52

HUNTING.

A SUCCESSFUL MEET OF THE HAWKE'S BAY HOUNDS.

(BY

STIRRUP.

THE meet of the Hawke’s Bay hounds took place on Saturday, June 20th, at Mr Sydney Johnston’s Orua Wharo Station. All through Thursday and Friday very heavy rain fell, but towards 9 a.m. on Saturday morning the sun came out and continued pleasant throughout the day. There were abont 150 riders present, and the meet, no doubt, would have been even larger had the weather cleared up earlier, as some of the Napier and Hastings * straight sport ’ had previously ordered horse boxes. Mr and Mrs Johnston and Miss Inglis received and entertained the ladies and gentlemen of the hunt at a substantial luncheon. The table groaned under the weight of good things provided. After justice had been done to the edibles and the inner man satisfied, Mr Jackson, the huntsman, mounted on Revenge, and the whip, a roan ; the Masters, Mr Sutherland and Mr Rhodes, mounted on handsome horses, rode up with the hounds in front of the lawn, the verdict being this pack never looked better. A move was then made, Mr Worrall pointing out the places most likely to conceal pussie. These proved correct, for the hounds ran off at a great pace, running the hare for abont three miles, but owing to so much water lying on the lowlands the scent got cold. The river bed was next drawn, and hares proved too numerous. After several runs and a kill, The Master decided to draw some more open paddocks, with the result that the hounds found immediately, running through the plantations and paddocks, and across the roads over fine jumping country and big ditches. This was a capital run, and only brought to a close through another hare suddenly springing up and crossing the scent, and as night was fast approaching, the Master gave the word ’home.’ This being the first meet at Mr Sydney Johnston's, Orua Wharo Station, it was voted a great success, and it is now looked upon as one of the finest hunting places in Hawke’s Bay. The jumps had been arranged beautifully, and loud was the approval on seeing so much room at each jump (over thirty-two feet in addition to the wings). This afforded very great pleasure to the large field, who cleared the fences in good style, and free from accidents. Amongst those present I noticed Mrs Sutherland, Mrs Rhodes, Mrs Herbert Russell, Miss Meta Johnston, Miss Inglis, the Misses St. Hill (two), Miss Millar, Miss Godfray, Miss Wilson, the Misses Rhodes (two). The Masters, Mr Sutherland and Mr Rhodes, the Huntsman, Mr Jackson, and Mr Anderson, Whip ; Messrs H. H. Bridge, Stewart, Bridge, Kinross, White, Frank White, Hugh White, Ernest White, T. White, Jas. Worrall, A. Deane, H. Evans, A. Potts Carlyon (two), C. Arrow, Hobson (four), G. Prescott, Groom (two), W. Wilson, Dr. Godfray, and others I do not remember. Amongst those driving were our host and hostess with a large house party, Messrs Price, Mrs D. Grant, Mrs J. Worrall, and Mrs John Butcher with a large township party. The ladies and gentlemen of the hunt were again entertained at afternoon tea and something stronger for those who preferred it, bringing to a close a very pleasant day.

AUCKLAND

BY ONLOOKER

The Pakuranga hounds met last Saturday at ‘ The Pah,’ Onehunga, and had a most unpleasant day, it being too cold for the scent to lie well, and frequent heavy showers fell, which damped the riders not a little. But notwithstanding the weather there was a large field of about one hundred horsemen and women. Shortly after twelve we made a move and drew along the gully at the back of the Pah. In a plantation puss was found. She made straight in a north-west direction across the paddocks, passing through a wire fence, the followers making for the gates. Away she went across the road into a cottager’s place, where a wide jump of a gorse hedge and a ditch on the off side had to be negotiated. Next over a stone wall into Mr Dibble’s property, then a stiff post and rails, which about a dozen of our best riders successfully negotiated, pounding the rest of the field, who were seen carefully taking an open gate at the further end of the paddock. Next came a wall with a nasty drop, which took the hunt into Mr O'Callaghan’s, and then back over the double on the road to * The Pah,’ making a semi-circle. Next came a small wire fence into the avenue of ‘ The Pah,’ which the foremost riders successfully jumped, but one of the crowd got strung upon it; down through the avenue at hand gallop over a wire fence with a rail on the top, which took the pack to the bottom of the garden, where pussie, alas I was lost. An adjournment to the Three Kings was then made, where another hare was drawn for. Through the scoria, plenty of walls to be jumped, but no find, we

gradually followed the bounds to Mount Roskill, where a hare was found in the ti-tree on the south side of the mountain. When she broke cover the hounds ran her over the mountain towards Dibble’s farm, then up the big drain at Hillborougb, and back to her lair again, where she was lost. During her course an odd fence or two had to be taken, and a big water jump consisting of a wire fence with a rail, and the ofl side a water jnmp of six feet in breadth, was taken by our huntsman, Mr Selby, who here pounded the whole of the field. Mr and Mrs Dennis O'Rorke, with their nsual hospitality, asked the members of the Club to return to ‘ The Pah ’ and partake of some refreshments, of which kind invitation many most gladly availed themselves. Amongst those present mounted were Mrs Bloomfield, Mrs Tonks, Misses Percival, Dunnett, McLaughlin, Kerr-Taylor, Roberts, Gorrie (two). Tanner, Buckland, Bull, Ware, Corn. Taylor, Tribley, Colonel Dawson, Messrs Crowe, Dunnett, Ray, Gorrie, Tonks, Wynyard, Nolan, Philips, Harrison, Carmiuer, Harris, Kerr-Taylor. Shera, Dawson, etc. Driving I noticed Mrs (Colonel) Dawson, Miss Elliot, Mrs Greenway, Mrs Tanner, etc.

The Rangitikei Hunt ball takes place at Marton on July 24th.

The annual dinner given by the members of the Wellington Hunt Club to the Hutt farmers came off at the Taita on the 24th nit. It was a great success.

There was wretched weather at the meeting of the South Canterbury Harriers at the New Zealand and Australian Land Company’s station, Pareora. Only the following gentlemen were in attendance : Messrs Harper, Wederell, Laurie, McDougall, Brooklyn, Reeves, Le Cren, and Lodder. Notwithstanding the state of the day there was a short but not very successful run.

IN response to a cabled invitation, Mr James Smith (accompanied by a special buyer), of Te Aro House, Wellington, recently visited a leading Sydney drapery warehouse, and there secured some extraordinary bargains. In fact, before leaving Sydney they swept the market in the way of good things obtainable in the soft goods trade, and on such exceptionally advantageous terms that enables this old-established and most enterprising firm to now offer a magnificent display of choice goods in nearly every department at such very low prices that a speedy clearance of these goods is a foregone conclusion. Particulars respecting this great sale are fully set forth in another page. After a dissertation on the disadvantages of the use of the old-time flint and steel at the Napier Philosophical Institute meeting last week, the Rev. W. Colenso said he was almost sorry that matches had been invented, as it led to the increased consumption of ‘ that wretched tobacco. ’