THE PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2976, 11 August 1891, Page 2

THE PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

TIIK Pakuratigi hounds met at Delaney's llot.'l, Uhaupo, on Saturday la*t at 11 a.m. and journeying down tin , Hamilton Road a pull up was undo at Mr McNicol H barn where tin owner had provided refreshments. While the sportsmen wore refreshing tho inner man, tho drag was started, and after an interval of twenty min-ites the hounds were laid on the scent; they inada away across McNicol's, over some nice cleiiti jumps and down Williamson's run on to the old Waikato Tuif Club racecourse, whero good jumping was done over soino five or six still pates ; the hounds now crossed over to Atkinson'-.-, Bmu-.-i', down to dribble's and up the opp isito side of the road, ovor beautiful hunting country and fences of all descriptions, and checked on Rothwell's hill. By this time the hunt began to see that their destination would be Hamilton, (tho course of the drag up to this having been kept a profound secret) and those that had ridden a distance to the meet thought it advisable to return. After about half-an hour a start was again made in Hines' and crossing the road some good jumping wan done in Hibb's over gites, thorn and furze hedges, from thin tho hounds made across several paddocks of Mr B'lllock-Webster's in and out of thu lake reserve and down a by-road leading to) Mr Davis', whero an awkward crossing ovor :i gully gave tho riders a chance to get together again ; a fow town sections were now crossed and the hounds pulled up at Gwynne's where the drag was seen hanging to the flagstaff. This day's outing wasvotod by all as tho most successful and gallant day's outing that had evor been experienced after the hounds in Waikato. An clevon or twolvo milos burst over a rattling hunting country proved rather much for many of the sportsmen and told a sad tula upon the unconditioned horses. We heard an old sport remarkjthat manyof those following the hounds had much to learn yet as there seemod to be a disposition on the part of sonio of the younger and unexperienced horsemen to over-ride the hounds ; indeed he said he believed this would apply to some who ought to have known better. To tide as gentlemen ought, is not to race as though in a but to koep with the huntsman, or with the in ister, whose duty it is to sea that tho hounds get fair play. When hounds are over-ridon, they become disheartened, and the majority of the h'eld who do not happen to be mounted on trained horses are outpaced, with thrt result that what ought to be a social pleasant gathering resolvps itself into a sort of contest between two or three of the best mounted, as to who shall first pound tho othors who happen to be able to keep alongside of them. Notwithstanding these little questionable matters of good taste — which now that we have drawn attention to will, no doubt, bn amended—the day's outing was on all hauds voted "' the meet of the season," and we should fail to express the feelings of those who tnok part in the gathering if wo did not most emphatically say it was due entirely to tho efforts of our excellent and enthusiastic sportsman, Mr John McNicol. This opinion is but a repetition of what we heard expressod by the Huntsman, Mr Tom Brown, who said that without fear of contradiction it was the finest day's hunting ho had evor takin part in the province of Auckhnd—and his opinion is good enough for •<" i-.i back.