HUNTING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 114, 29 September 1892, Page 9

HUNTING.

The Pakuranga Hunt Club have now abandoned hunting for the season, and have taken to drag hunting for the rest of the year. Tho meet on Saturday last was at 2 p.m. at Panmure, where the Master and his assistants were ready to receive their friends. This drag-hunt had been looked forward to for some time, as the country which was selected has been celebrated for many years in the annals of the club as being: one of the stiffest and best lines which the hounds run over. As the season advances the Master evidently means, by the length of the runs and the size of the fences to give every facility to qualify horses and get them in condition for the approaching Club races. The line taken on this occasion was from Panmure round the base of Mount Wellington, crossing the Panmure Road and heading for Otahuhu, taking on the way a line across Sylvia Park. The fences were varied, and consisted of walls, drains, and post and rails. They were of such a size and substance that the greatest glutton had to cry content. On arriving at Otahuhu most of the riders and horses gave ample evidence of the length and severity of the run. After a halt, the Master once more put his horses in motion and took up a line from the main South Road leading for Mount Smart, thence across the One Tree Hill property towards the Onehunga Waterworks, finishing at the Royal Oak Hotel There were many casualties during the day, but none of a serious nature —in fact, considering the extent of country that was crossed we must congratulate the club upon having such a numerous following able to negociate such a class of obstacles. On our way home moralizing, we thought to ourselves what a benefit a club like the P.H.C. must confer upon the district by creating a demand for a decent class of horse, for at one time during this run we counted fully 50 horses negociating the country.