CANTERBURY HUNT CLUB.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 596, 17 May 1876, Page 3

CANTERBURY HUNT CLUB.

( Timaru Herald, May 16 ) A bright, almost cloudless day met the hounds yesterday at the Doncaster Hotel, where they were brought out at about eleven o’clock, By half-past, an assemblage of spectators numbering not less than five hundred had collected. Shortly afterwards Hedge drew the dogs away to a paddock in the rear of the hotel, whither he was followed by Mr Cardale and a field of eighty or ninety riders. The hounds soon found the scent and went away at a rattling pace back across the main load in the direction of the Levels. At the ■first fence one or two riders came to earth somewhat unaccountably, but the great majority cleared it in such a style as to show that neither hunting men nor bunting horses are wanting in thb district. Another small

fence having been taken very successfully the hounds took a turn towards the Point road, pasta very awkward piece of timber, gorse and wire in equal proportions. Here there was a regular scramble, both horses and men coming to grief in all directions. We believe one horse was so much injured that it could not be got away, and had to be destroyed where it lay. The riders, fortunately, all escaped with no worse hurt than a good shaking. The hunt then crossed the road and the railway, and met at close quarters a very ugly bit of timber. The huntsmen and one or two hard riders dealt with it in excellent form, but a great deal of crackling followed, and the rest of the field scrambled through or over the deiris as they pleased. This brought them on to the hill side, where the spectators were ensconced, and it was a rare sight to see the hunt speed past full split along the edge of the downs, taking a light fence in the corner of the paddock without a mishap. They then took another turn northwards, recrossed the road, and went away over the flat towards Seadown, taking six or seven hedges and ditches, till they reached Mr Nicholson’s, where they killed in the open. Lunch was hospitably provided here ; and after a spell, which the effect of the hot weather on the hounds rendered necessary, Fred Hedge and Mr Campbell brought the dogs away to an adjoining paddock, where they presently renewed their acquaintance with the herring, and went off with music in front of a crowded field. Over a few stiffish fences then, and going hard across the flat, they had a very pretty run for about three-quarters of an hour, some eight or ten riders taking all the jumps, and the rest making the most of the gaps. The hounds made enquiries, of the huntsmen at a point on the plain towards the Levels Station, and the scent was not met with again till the field had moved to a paddock about a mile f:om the house. In the meantime a large party of ladies and gentlemen had gathered th'-re, and whiled away the interval between the hunts at Mr Davidson’s hospitable board. At about three o’clock the pink coats were seen moving about amongst a crowd of riders away along the road towards Timaru, and presently the sound of the horn was followed by a cry of “ Gone away,” and the hounds put heads to ground in a straight line for a spinney in front of the station. A couple of good stiff fences lay between, one of which was a real honest piece of woodwork with gorse on top. The horses took it capitally, however, only two appearing on the flat without their riders. The hunt then swept along the open field, and on the hounds disappearing into the spinney through a regular bullfinch, turned off short to the right, and got into the road across a toughish bit of timber. In the spinney the hounds threw up their heads, aud floundered about among the brushwood for about a quarter of an hour, the spectators hastening to the hill on the other side, and the riders who did not care for going among closely planted gum trees, making for a gate at the bottom of the hill. Presently the hounds reappeared through the scrub, and after a cast in a little field, suddenly gave tongue and went away, closely followed by the huntsmen and one or two riders, who took the high hedge successfully which divided them from the long meadow in front of Mr Orbell’s house. Here they were joined by the master and the rest of the field, and the prettiest piece of hunting of the whole day followed! The scent lay straight across two fences on the flat for about half a mile, when it suddenly turned to the left along the ridge of a spur and came along the hill to the back of the station, where it led sharply down again over a high gate back into a long meadow. At that gate one of the horses, trying apparently to take it lengthways, came right upon it, and rolled over, rider and all. The next horseman, who was too close to pull, asked his horse for an effort, and cleared the whole melee in excellent style. A race across the open, and over the high gorse hedge again brought the hunt back to the little mead where the hounds had found the scent beside the spinney. Here one of the best day’s sport ever known in the province came to a very pleasant and most picturesque ending. We regret to mention that in the early part of the day the respectable spectators of the hunt had their sport entirely spoilt, and were fairly driven away from the hill, by the abominable conduct of one or two low drunken blackguards, who chose to stagger about among the carriages and pedestrians, using the most disgusting language. Everybody was on the look out for the police, but not a constable being visible, they bad to put up with the outrage or quit the scene. We learn that the name of one at least of the offenders is known, and that he will be punished ; but we are only sorry that all who took part in this shameful exhibition were not horsewhipped within an inch, of their life on the spot. We are convinced that only the presence of the la lies prevented such a necessary course being adopted. To turn to a more pleasant subject, we are very glad to learn that there is every prospect of the 0. H. H. reappearing in the district about the month of August. We are sure that the good sport they afford, and the kind and cordial manner in which they welcome all who have a taste for it to join them, will ensure them a hearty reception here whenever they like to come.