PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 620, 1 April 1921, Page 4

PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB.

ITS EARLY HISTORY. ENTERPRISING MEMBERS. This is the first of a series of articles that will appear from time to time describing incidents of interest recorded in the annals of the Pakurar.ga Hunt Club, iew histories record such devotional enthusiasm and such a degree of private enterprise as has always need characteristic of this club.

“Each season has its joys, ’tis true. And none should, wisdom spurn ; But those who Nature rightly view. Enjoy them each, in turn : The angler, racer, courser, shot, As each to each is bourne, Bui the season of seasones, is it not When the huntsman winds his horn ?”

It is now more than half a century since the first hounds were imported to Auckland, and although the memory of Sir George Grey and his deeds are still fresh to all Aucklanders, there are few who are aware that he was the first person to import hounds to Auckland, but in 1868 Sir George imported three couple of hounds. They were beagles, and small ones, but certainly have the honour of being the first hounds. Sir George did not keep them very long, and sold them to Mr William McLaughlin, of Puhi Nui, near Papatoetoe, who used them for hunting rabbits, as there were no hares at the time..

The sigl\t of these beagles seemed to have aroused the sporting instinct in some of the residents, who loved to hear once again the music of a pack of hounds, for, in 1872, early in that year, at a meeting held in Mr Alfred Buckland’s' office, it was resolved to form a Hunt Club and import hounds.

A short time before this the late Mr Alfred Buckland had bought two hounds and eight puppies from a ship’s doctor. The dog was called Bugler, and the bitch Cloudy, and she whelped the puppies on the voyage from England. These hounds Mr Buckland generously presented to the Club immediately on its formation.

Some time afterwards those gentlemen who intended to form a Hunt Club imported three coupes form Australia, some being from Sydney, sent over by a Mr Benn to Mr Every McLean, and some from Melbourne. The ones from Sydney were not, on the whole, much good, but the Melbourne hounds turned out well. HARES IN NEW ZEALAND. Hares had been liberated by Messrs Robert and Every McLean and the Acclimatisation Society in the Auckland district some years before this, namely, in 1868. They were first liberated at f Pakuranga, and increased very rapidly. In 1869 Mr Wm. McLaughlin secured a buck and doe, the former being a very old lean one, and the doe only half grown ; and he also liberated two more that came over in the steamer “Hero,” arriving in Auckland on July Bth, 1871. These lie let loose'on his Puhi Nut Estate, and the increase was amazingly rapid, the country evidently suiting them, for in a few years they had spread all over the surrounding districts. The Waikato was also stocked by hares taken from Mr McLaughlin’s estate. More hares were impored by the Acclimatisation Society at he end end of 1871. being brought in a ship called “Cadueeas.” (To be continued).