Hunting

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 464, 15 June 1899, Page 7

Hunting

FIXTURES FOR THE PAKURANGA HOUNDS

June 17—The Monument, Otahuhu June 24—Ellerslie Hotel. July I—Panmure.1 —Panmure.

THE PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

[By

Follower.]

We have not, since the opening meet, been favored with the best of sport, the scent not being good. We had a fair outing at Sylvia Park on May 20th, and on the following Saturday, at St. John’s College, we had a nice sharp little run of about twenty minutes with a kill, and another slow hunting run of about an hour and a half. This hare was found in the swamp on Mr J. Massey’s farm, and ran over the mountain to Mr T. Wylie’s, and then back to where found. Here we changed to a fresh hare ; a real straight goer she proved, taking us over the mountain on to the beach and over Mr Wylie’s paddocks near to St. Helier’r Bay, where we had a kill on the beach opposite Brown’s Island. This was a real good hunting run, though there was not much jumping; nevertheless, those who rode straight had some very high walls and wire to get over to be with the hounds. Part of this country I have never seen hounds over before, and the thanks of the club are due to those gentlemen who so kindly allow us to hunt over it, especially Mr Murray, who is not a hunting man, which goes to prove what a good sort he must be. On Saturday, June 10th, the meet was at Penrose and very few regular followers put in an appearance at the appointed time (12 o’clock). The weather no doubt kept many away—it bad been raining all night and, though it was fine at the time of meeting, it looked very like more wet. We first drew the gorse near Mr Hamlin’s—blank—and then on to his ploughed paddock, where unfortunately a hare was chopped. We then crossed the road and drew Mr Gollan’s paddocks by the beach and found in the new grass, crossing the road on to Mr Stevenson’s, over nice country, on to Mr Kay’s. Here the hounds overran the scent. A cast on the far side of a mob of cows, and the line was hit off, but it was evident that the scent was not good. The hounds hunted slowly to the road, where a friendly “ view holloa” put us on better terms, but still the hounds had great difficulty in keeping on the line. After some dodging about the hare was put up again, and ran over the road on to Kay’s, near to Ireland’s Tannery, through Gollan’s and Morrison’s, back to Kay’s, and then over all those small, paddocks on to Mount Wellington. Here the pack got close up to the hare, and it looked as though we were going over the mountain, but

fortunately she donbled back, and so saved the pack from being stopped, as Mr Morrin’s valuable mares were near here. We had a nice run back to where found, over some very small paddocks with big fences of all kinds—wire, walls, hedges, and ditches, the latter sometimes on each side of the fences. Nearly all through the run it had been raining in torrents, but still the field did not diminish, and were rewarded with another good run. having got on to a fresh hare, which took us over the scoria and back to Bailey’s Hill, where she was lost on the read. The day was a hard one for the hounds, as they hunted from half-past twelve to half-past four without a kill, which they richly deserved. The country was veiy trying, and tested the capabilities of the pack for road hunting One bare ran for a mile on a new metalled road.

I am glad it is the intention of the club in future to put a stop to so many interlopers following the hounds, and that only those who are members and the farmers will be allowed to do so, and these will have a badge, which can be obtained of the secretary, to that they can be distinguished. Those who are too mean to subscribe will not be allowed to follow. The field now is much too numerous, and considering the small number of members and farmers who follow it is not fair to thos® gentlemen who give the land and those who subscribe. People who are. too mean to pay for their sport are, as a rule, badly mounted, and therefore do the more damage to the fences, and so

cause the club the most expense in this respect. If they go to races, football, and other sports they have to pay, and then do no damage, therefore it can be only fair that they should help to pay for the damage they do in the hunting field, or else stay away. On my way home last Saturday I saw a gap in a wall, not where the followers of the hounds had been, but had evidently been la ked over by some larrikins, I; is not fair to the Hunt that this should be allowed, and I am glad that it is the intention of the Master to try and put a stop to this wanton damage, and in future there will be some one on the look (out for these breakers of fences.

On Saturday the Pakuranga Hounds meet at the Monument, at Otahuhu, where there should be good gathering. On Saturday week the meeting place is the Ellerslie Hotel, and. Host Pickrell promises that his guests shall not go empty away. .