A DAY WITH MR. R. H. MASON’S HOUNDS (NAPIER)

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 145, 4 May 1893, Page 8

A DAY WITH MR. R. H. MASON’S HOUNDS (NAPIER)

[By

"WHO-WHOOP"]

Seeing that Mr R. H. Mason’s hounds would meet at Ashcott on April 22, I determined to be there, so in company with a brother sport travelled over the well known Ruatanawhia Plains to the appointed trysting place. The morning threatened rain, but Jupiter Pluvius proved kind and turned the supply off. The sun was carefully hidden by clouds, and a perfect hunting day was the result. We arrived in time to do justice to a substantia] luncheon, kindly provided for all by the Messrs. Bridge, and then off we went. The hounds, 8| couple, were hunted as usual by the Master, mounted on a very fine weight carrier, Wi Parata, who was quite up to the 16st burden, and a truer fencer I have seldom seen, he being equally good over both wire and timber. The whips, Messrs,. H.

Jackson (on Tip-top, a stylish black cob, also a real clipper), and H. Hassall on Royston, an upstanding bay, were both well horsed ; and the turn out of master, whips and pack was really a credit to any district. t l{ , The scene of operations was soon reached, and a hare soon started., Her career was quickly ended, as the hounds ran her straight on to a high bank, from which she fell back into their very jaws and was promptly despatched. Another, however, was soon a-foot, and running true and game, gave us seven miles e’er the “ who-whoop !” was sounded over her. Within five miles another hare was started, and the pack, fresh as daisies, soon added her to the list of the slain, making a decent total of three kills within an hour and a half. A move was then made to some higher ground, and the merry music soon proclaimed that we were at it again, and at it indeed we were, for a better and stronger hare I should imagine never was hunted, and a rattling run quite eight miles, with the pack only at fault for a short time twice, was the result. Puss was, however, too cunning, and succeeded in. getting safely away into a flax swamp. This ended one of the best days I have ever seen with harriers. Just a word about the pack. Though at first sight they appeared rather uneven as to size, yet there was a real workmanlike style about them, which even the most uninitiated could detect. Their condition was perfect, as shown by the amount of work done by them during the day. All ran well together, not a hound being absent at the finish, and their music was really beautiful. About forty followed, amongst them ladies first: —Mrs Giblin, on a well-bred looking bay, who jumped very clean and nicely; Mrs Rhodes, on Fordham; her daughter, Miss M. Rhodes, on a pony as clever as anything could be; Miss Miller, on a grey, who went far better than his appearance would have led one to suppose ; Miss T. Groome, on her prize hunter Moe ; Miss Milly Rhodes, on a bay. Amongst the gentlemen I noticed Messrs Bid will (late master of the Wairarapa Hounds), J. Rhodes, J. N. Mason, A. Giblin, F. White, G. Groome, H. Carlyon, 8. Bridge, H. H. Bridge, G. Johnston, Butler, Howard, Robison, Puckle, H. Godfray, Chambers, Birney; and others whose names 1 cannot now recollect.

Harry Laing, the Wanganui prize fighter, talks of going to Australia. The Stewart (boxing) manslaughter case, writes “Amateur” in the Sydney Referee, “ has ended once again in the way 1 fully expected it would do. and the unfortunate defendants are bound over to appear when called upon at the next sitting of the Criminal Court.” The principal feature of the all-round Jumping Piofessional Championship gathering, held at Sydney on April 14th and 15th, was the Hop. Step and Jump of W. McManus, who cleared 49ft z£in, which beats the previous record of 48ft Sin, held by T. Burrows of America, by 6£in. c /■ Two new amateur athletic clubs have been formed in Victoria, viz., the Bendigo Harriers and the Kew Harriers. Intimation has been received in Auckland from Mr Jardine, the hon. secretary of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, stating that all the other associations are in favour of holding the next Championship Tournament in Auckland. Arrangements will therefore be at once made to ensure a successful meeting. H. Lambton, the well-known Melbourne cyclist, is now en ronte to America to manage the cycling tournament at the Chicago Exhibition. I he Warehousemen’s Cricket Cup was decided on Saturday last in favour of W. McArthur & Co. by 35 runs against Macky, Logan & Co. There was a good attendance of the public. E. Meldrum played a fine innings for 27 not out. It is sickening to read the maudlin attempts of the two daily papers to occupy a highly moral stand in connection with the recent glove fight at the Zealandia Rink. Their strenuous advocacy for the suppression of boxing is a little inconsistent with their actions in accepting advertisements for the fight in question and publishing reports of the contest like any other item of news. Pah! such respectability is very questionable. It is proposed to form a Bowling Club in Woodville (H. 8. A well-known Sydney bowler, performed a rather remarkable feat with the ball in a match recently. He took thirteen wickets for 11 runs in the two innings, capturing the last five wickets in the second innings with successive balls.

The weH-lrhWn Dunedin greyhound fefosky, who ran up iu the St. Leger and Waterloo Plate at the Plumpton Meeting held at'the Forbury in 1888, was drowned the other day by his owner. Mr Blaney. ; Some, i boys coaxed the dog away from 'his'home at South Dunedin, and when he strayed back; after ah absentee of >ome he was in such great pain aud sb terribly mutilated that his owner con-' siderately decided to terminate his sufferings.l' Kinsky, i! who was a very fast dog, was by Shrdius out of Kirwee.

A sad football fatality is reported from Ashburton, Canterbury. The Ashburton F.C. held a practice match on April 19, during. ,the progress of which William Bradford, a youth of nineteen, received such injuries that he died two days afterwards. At the inquest the evidence showed that the deceased collared ; a 'player named T. Pauling, who, in falling, for a time, t but gradually recovered and went and bathed his face in the lake, after which he resumed play., Next day he did not work as usual, but about five o’clock'in the'afternoon he complained of feeling unwell and of a bad headache, and went to .bed. A few hours later he because,delirious, and, although medical aid was called in and everything was done to relieve his sufferings he expired at a quarter to six the following morning. Dr. Hunter, in his evidence at the inquest, said that death had resulted from acute inflammation of the brain, which had most probably been brought on by the accident on the football field, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly- * ... < ’Ji l K. Ooms, the Dutch sculler who wou the Diamond Sculls at Henley Regatta last season, has forsaken the amateur ranlss. for the professional, and at the time the last mail left England negotiations were being made to match, him against W. A. ‘ Barry, (he winner of ‘the last Doggett’s Coat and Badge, for a stake of £2OO a side. ; • '’’G: Shaw, the ex-New Zealander, represented the London Athletic Club in their match against the Oxford Univer'sity at Oxford on March Uth, taking part in the 120yds Hurdles and the Long Jump competitions. In the former event he was beaten by half a yard by E. L. Collis (Oxford) in 16 3-sth sec. and he did not get a place in the jump, which was won by W. J. Oakley (Oxford), With 22ft zCk W. Leary (Oxford) being second with 21ft 6£in. ■/An interesting bicycle road race for two prizes valued at and £ 1 respective!}’ took frthtfe 1 on Saturday afternoon; the course being from Bishopscourt, Parnell, througfa Otahuhu and Mangere home, a distance of some 22 miles. Seven competitors faced the starter, and Le Roy (winner of last road race) was despatched oh his journey at 3.15 p.m., followed by Eqdean;’ Pilkington, Smith, and Webb, with Selby, Reynolds, and Firth 'at scratch at 3,30.. 5 Le Roy started off at a verv sturdy pace, and .lasting well tfiroiighdut,came home as he'liked, “with five minutes to, ; spare. Smith was the next to arrive (six minutes), and shortly after Reynolds and Firth put in an appearance together. A spurt home for third*honors then took place, resulting in young Firth jiist winning. Another road race over the same course is to take place on Queen’s Birthday. Griffd, 'the champion featherweight pugilist of Australia, has made up his mited/to visit’, America, and goes through; under the management of E. Alexander. Articles have 'been drawn up to that effect.

According to a cable to the Melbourne Argus, the date of the Slavin-Hall boxing match altered. Instead of boxing on Eierby night as was previously ar ranged/the, men will meet on May 29, two days earlier, j > . The committee of the Auckland Coursing Club met on Friday evening and debided to hold their first meeting of the season on the new Plumpton at Avondale on Wednesday, June 14, and Saturday, June 17. . Responsible officers were appointed as under: —Mr J. R. Henderson, judge j Mr Jj.i Fergusson, slipper ; Mr W. A. Fenton, slip, steward; and the stake decided on was the Avondale Cup for an unlimited number of all-aged dogs at £2 Ito.each. The nomination fee of £1 is due on June 1, the balance of sweep to be paid on the night of the draw. Greynot already registered can be registered* by paying 2s 6d tb tne secret tary. It importance to coursing gentlemen to i attend to this at once, •Mfr*. also has a notification in this issue as to members* ttekets.

The Australian Eleven have arrived in England in excellent health. Blackham has been appointed their captain, and Bannerman vice-captain. -.The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association have,'! received a .communication from the Victoria Amateur Athletic Association with reference to holding tfie ftiWof a/series of AustraiaSian J’charhpi6n- ! ships at Melbourne in October or November next, the second to take place m New,Zealand in 1895, afid. 'Jhe thiijd in »hje’w'’§duth ; ‘ 'Wales It'* wks decided to send a team to Australia to compete in the championships. The result of -the gloVe figfif between Nicholson and Forgie, which eventuated on the nth ult., reached another stage on Tuesday morning, when Nicholson himself and others were haled before three Justices of the Peace. John Nicholson? was charged with having on April nth, killed and slain one Richard Campbell Forgie. Lindsay Cooke, William Burns, John Wakefield, William McManemin, Jumea Saxon, .Frank Burns, Richard J. G. Sahdall, John McConnell, William O’Meara, and Frederic Paltridge, were charged with having been present, unlawfully aiding and abetting one John Nicholson to feloniously kill and slay one Richard Campbell Forgie. Mr McAlister appeared for the prosecution ; Mr Cotter for all the defendants except Lindsay Cooke ; Mr Baume representing the last named defendant. Mr MqAlister applied for leave (which the Bench granted) to withdraw the separate charge against Nicholson, and to charge him in conjunction with the other defendants. Counsel then applied for an adjournment till the 10th inst., on the ground that a material witness, Mr J. Gallagher, was at present away from town. The case was then adjourned, Nicholson’s bail being enlarged, and the other defendants, who had appeared on summons, were not required to find bail. /<».< • I have to acknowledge the receipt of a programme of the Wanganui Gun Club’s Winter Meeting to be held at Mr S. Powell’s Flemington May 25. No bettercould have been selected, as it is the day following the Wanganui , Steeplechase, and there are sure tb be a lot of true sportsmen gathered together in the picturesque West Coast town. The event to be shot off is the Great Winter Handicap for Messrs Hill and Poole’s 25 gs cup, with £3O added; first prize, cup and £2O ; second prize, £7 ; third prize, £3; 9 birds each, two misses out.’ The appears, from the remarks made at the last meeting of the Victoria Cricket Association to have invaded the ranks of the wielders of willow; or, perhaps, it would be more correct to say that this undesirable character, who is so well known in football, has “developed” in cricketing circles. Personal expenses and the actual money paid for doing their work had been allowed to members of cricket teams visitipg the other colonies. This t is J legitimate enough. But now it seems that some players have been, making charges for money to pay people doing their work when no such money has been paid by them, and, furthermore, that in some cases the expenses charged have been on so liberal a scale as to leave a balance in hand. As the outcome of this, potice of motion ! ha§ been given for the next meeting of thq V.C.A.,“ That in future no player other than a recognised professional shall receive any emolument for services in any cricket match played under the auspices of the association.”

Litigation in athletic subjects is not very common in New Zealand, so the following transcript of a case that occurred in Victoria the other day, will prove interresting to my readers :—George L. Julius, well-known runner, sued the officials of the Beech worth (Vic.) Boxing Day sports to recover the first prize in the Sheffield Handicap, under the following circumstances :—When the final was run the placed men were Darby, Cramer, and Julius. The latter protested against the other/two; and they)lvere disqualified/ Julius, in turn, was protested against by one of the stewards,<• and was also disqualified. Herein lay the crux_..bf the whole case. 1 Julius deposed to the satisr, Taction of the District Court judgeV<thjit stewards, he was, denied one, his disqualification being pronounced without his being given the slightest chance to < offer any defence. His Honor’s remarks in givifig a vefdict for the plaintiff should (says a Melbourne contemporary), £btve as a caution to committees and stewards for kir time, an that in refusing the plaintiff a hearing, and disqualifiying< him fe,hind his back,’ the steward? had perpetrated ‘ a glaring denial of justice ' nOt be tolerated.’ . .. (JJI ,