HUNTING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue IX, 29 August 1896, Page 273

HUNTING.

BY ONLOOKER. THE Pakuranga hounds met last Saturday at the Pakuranga blacksmith’s shop, Howick, which gave the lovers of this most healthy and invigorating sport a ride fron Auckland of sixteen miles ; those coming from the suburbs on the farther side had a much longer journey. Sylvia Park was to have been the rendezvous, which isour stiffest and best hunting country, but sad to relate, the owner would notallow us there this time. There was not a very large attendance, owing no doubt, to the great distance from town. From the blacksmith’s shop we made a move to Mr Buckland’s, and drew along the gully near the house, where the hounds found a hare, which gave us a short smart run of twenty minutes, ending in a kill. Again we made back to the gully, but were unlucky enough to have three or four hares on foot at once, and what otherwise might have been a beautiful run was spoiled by the scent being too cold to hunt at any pace. Some stiff walls, fences, hedges, and ditches were successfully negotiated by the foremost. We then adjourned to Mr E. McLean’s No. 2 farm, where another hare was immediately started, and ran in a circle round the mountain, where stone walls, interspersed with live fences, were the only obstacles. Amongst those present I noticed Mrs Tonks (Bill), Miss Dunnett on Roger (who, I am glad to see, has perfectly recovered), Miss Percival (Tommy), Miss Buckland (Villiers), Misses Gorrte (two), Srge, P. Buckland, KerrTaylor, Roberts, Cameron, Walker, Missrs Col. Dawson (Ike), Nolan (Hard Times), O’Rorke (Saxon), Bloomfield (Eker), Tonks (Nap), McLaughlin, Gordon (two), Carminer, Elliot, Harrison, Ray, Dawson, Holgate, Selby, Dunnett, Banks, Bailey, etc. Driving were Mrs Banks, Mrs Buckland, Mrs (Col.) Dawson, Miss Elliot, etc.