PIGEON SHOOTING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4745, 12 June 1894, Page 3

PIGEON SHOOTING.

*~<JLJ rI P Forty-mile irap.l ii M, . [COXTRIUUTEP] H. and myself having received a hearty invitation from Mr H. Dagg to pay a visit to Ngatitipu, (which is the name of his run) for a day or two's pigeon shooting, wo arranged to start on Thursday 17th May, at 6 a.m, ; Accordingly I drovo round to H.'s at 6 o'clock sharp. He was in bed, but a shrill whistlesoon brought him out. It did not take him long to get ready, and in a few minutes we were off. Therewas a sharp frost, and the air was very keen but we drove along at a good pace and were not long in i eaching Di ejerton, where we pulled up at Host Osborne's and had a little whiskey to drive the cold out. After a short chat with Mr Osborne wo made a start for Mauriceville wbcro we intended to have breakfast; Arriving there wo found that breakfast was over, but by the time wo got tlio horse fed Mrs J, Cottis had a good breakfast ready for lis to which we did ample justice. We stayed for an tor.'and a half, and learned that wo could drive about anothorseven miles.

After drivingsjme distance along the Forty-mile Easli road, we came to Dreyer's Block. Tlicro wo turned up a wad to the right. Along this road the bash is felled on both sides, and the land is grassed and fenced, At short distances apart we see houses or whares erected. After an hour's drive wo reached Messrs Gleeson Bros'., where Mr Dagg had promised to meet us. Wo stayed hero an hour, having a look at 1 the shearing shed, yards, and other buildings, which arc equal to any that I have seen anywhere round the district. Hating had some refreshments, we decided to push on as far as we could drive, After going a mile we met Mr Dagg and his two eons, with five pack-horses, At this point Mi' Dagi? told , us that we should liavo tq'loavo tlio buggy and a track over the hills Wo decided to wait till he.returned from Glebson's with his pack horses. '| ; l may explain here that ho has to pjick ajl his stores, fencing wire, etc. from Gleeson's into his homestead, iyhich ii) rati® more than six miles. H. and I toflrtho horso out of the buggyi and waited patiently for Mr Dagg's return, which was about an b'pur and a lAlf later, "tfow," said Mr Dagg,." gjfe. ready for an hour apd a half's walk ovor hills and gullies." But it was the longest hour and a half's walklovor bait It was .2,30 p.m. when wo started, and when we reached the homestead it was 5 p.m, After having a good tea andayiuuabout old times, we turned jn, Wo wrc up in good time next morning, and ; the weather was all ■ that we could desire for pigeon shooting,, H.antVl wevo soon off, MrDagg being very busy could not accompany us. Pigeons sepned fairly plentiful, but were sitting still and it was difficult to find them. However, we managed to bag thirty-between us for tho day's shooting. Saturday morning the weather was not 60 favourable, it being very windy. Wo managed to bug twenty-four, which made a totalfor the two days of fiftyfour pigeqns: !, Nqw for a few remarks about the country wo travelled through. After leaving Rock the land poems tq vaiy a' good deal, some being "capablo of carrying three sheep to the acre, whilst other pai'ts ivpnld not carry more than one and a half, greatest drawback to tho settlors,; is. tlio" want of roads, The is|.'formed t«'o miles beyond Jfqssifi Gleeson Bros;, after that set-. ■ tiers liayo .to pack everything - they mujrd.Writer's property is four,

and a half miles from whore tho road is formed. Last session tho Government placed £6OO on' the'.,estimates for this piece of road,'' but they liavo not as yet spent it, although tho settlers havo made fro-: quent applications to them to have tho road formed, and ara willing to. vaiso monoy under the Loans to Local Bodies Aot, to supplement it; On tho Sunday morning wo made a start for homo, placing tho pigeons on a pack horso with 11, mounted on top, 1 riding the buggy horso barebacked, Mr Dagg coming with us as far as where we loft the buggy to tako tho pack horseback. After spending four enjoyable days wo reached homo on tho Sunday ovoning.