Long Opening Run at an Easy Pace; Mr. H. S. Peake Wins His Red Coat The Arst hunt of the season was held on Saturday under perfect conditions. 'The sun shone in splendour' and "the going, though slightly on the soft side, could hardly "have been improved. The Stewards were fully justified in their decision to open the season week earlier than usual.
The hunt was laid by the Master, Dr. Noel Davis, and Mr. F. W. Potter, a former Master, and otarted at the end of Hungjao Road beyond the Aerodrome, The scene at the start was gay and animated and the dash of colour from the numerous pink-coated riders gave brilliance to the affair. After Mr.
Sparke, the steward in change of the hunt, had given ealutationa from the Master for the season, tha hunt moved off amidst a burst of song.
Through the Zig-zag Wade they splashed and on to Crawford's Line with @ slight check towards No, 8 Bridge. At the top of Crawford's Line the Chinese Inid the paper through Sixteen Tree Creek, but the true course was forward through a wade and village to the north, where again the wily Chinese carried the paper and the whole hunt over a big stone bridge across the Sixteen Tree Greek. The course: lay through two more wades and on to a line of jumps new to the younger generation of paper hhuntens, but laid by a former Master, Mr, A. W, Burkill, many years ago. A halt was called at tae Twin Bridges, near the top of Beith's Line, down which the hunt then galloped, through two more wades on the Potter's Line and then to another halt at a stone bridge by village west of Potter's Platform.
Here the hunt wal successfully split into two by the crafty Chi-next, who laid paper over a stone bridge under repair on the right, over which the riders passed and galloped away for home.
Mr. Sparke wisely held the rear of the hunt long enough for the er= rant leaders to get clean away, avoid confusion at the fi The Inst stage of the course wi by Potter's Platform to Two Treas Wade and Monument Road to the finish over a water jump at the end of Monument Line.
There were one or two instanc of failure to observe the etiquette vf paper hunting during the run, namely, making no attempt catch a loose pony early in the hunt and thrusting palt_ another rider and pony on crossing a bridge. Such things not only needlessly spoil the hunt for an unlucky rider, but may lead to disastrous eidents.
A large crowd gathered at the flags to see the finish and there great excitement as the leaders came galloping down the Monument Line about 4 o'clock.
Mr. H. 8. Peake won his firist hunt and was heartily congratulat-don winning hiv "pink." The card was a6 follow:—
LH, 8, Peake on Wild Straw:
Evening question the police evidence wi answered with the remark, ness only Knows: I was senseless the Registrar, Mr. G. W. King, in H. M. Police Court, yesterday, said, "The police also seem to know something about it." too good, but still the game was fast and clea At the interval the Scot led S-nil, Hill scoring an excellent try on his own, Nicholl converting. The remaining" points during the second half came about through free kick against the Navy, which Nicholl converted, and tries by Bailey and Milligan (two), Nicholl converting on all occasions with ex-client The sides follow:
Coe raf, J. Bt, Sand Hood, ALG. tos, HA. Thompson,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.