Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 436, 7 January 1857, Page 7

Local Intelligence.

DEPA.BT.TJHE OB THE BISHOP OF NEW Zealand.— Bishop Sehvyn has finally bidden us farewell, and taken his departure on another stage of his perpetual journey round a diocese still too large for even his energy and zeal. His Lordship sailed on Monday for the Chatham Islands. The visit which he has just concluded to our province has been longer than any which we previously enjoyed, and is especially remarkable as being the occasion of the final and visible act of resignation of this part of his flock to the care of another pastor, a bishop chosen by himself, to be his fellow labourer and coadjutor rather than successor. This event, long'looked forward to by the churchmen of this settlement, has, after many disappointments, been at last completed, chief!v by the advice and exertions of Bishop Sehvyn himself. Few as his lordship's visits have been to us, and short as the time has been altogether that he has spent among us^ his presence has always been productive of so much good in church matters, and we have learned to look upon him personally with so much Jove and veneration, that our farewell to him would have been most sorrowful, had not his departure been the^signal to us of the commencement of a new and more perfect state of things in the church in this place. During this, his last visit, Bishop Sehvyn visited and preached at Lyttelton, Christchurch, Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Governor's Bay, and several of the bays of Banks's Peninsula. On Sunday last, the day before Ihis departure, the performed service and preached in the Maori language, in the temporary church, Lyttelton : a considerable congregation of natives were present. We believe that the Bishop's departure was somewhat delayed by the want of men for the Southern Cross ; the c articles of the crew and officers having expired at the close of the year, and a considerable number of the men leaving her. We understand that it was with some difficulty that sufficient hands were collected at short notice to navigate the vessel, and we sincerely wish the right reverend sailor, undev the circumstances, fine weather for his passage to the first port where he can make his crew complete.

The Royal Charter's Mail—The Taranaki, Captain Cory, arrived in our harbour on Monday morning,from Sydney, via Nelson. She brings Nelson papers to the 31st, and Sydney papers to the Ilth instant, The latter English news to October the 2nd, brought by the Royal Charter. Our portion of the English mail of this date has not arrived by the Taranaki, not being ready at the time of her departure. As there appear to be no vessels laid on at Sydney for the Southern ports of New Zealand when the Taranaki sailed, we may be some time without our letters. The items of news to be gathered from the papers we have received are given elsewhere, at r.s gi?eat length as possible. Ltttelton Regatta.—A meeting was held at the Cantei bury Hotel, on Monday evening, for the purpose of distributing the prizes in the late regatta to the successful competitors. The greater portion! of the committee were present, and the winners in the several matches were called in, receiving their winnings at the hands'of the chairman. In the decked boat race, the second prize was given, by award of the judge, to the Father Thames ; the Emerald, which had come in second, having lost her right to the prize from the fact of her taking the course on the wrong side of one of the flagvessel, As none of the other boats had come in at all, the Emerald's entry was returned, as third boat, by general consent. Some difference of opinion was expressed as to the

correctness of this award, bearing upon the manner of giving the directions for the course to be steered. There was also an uncertainty about the winner of the duck hunt, the unfortunate bird having been first captured by one boat, and, after escaping, recaptured by the other, and brought to shore. The prize was adjudged, by the rules of sport, to the latter boat, and the award of the judge was followed on both points without hesitation. After paying the prizes and expenses of the children's entertainment, some small surplus funds will remain on hand, and will probably, as hitherto, be carried forward for the itext occasion. By agreement amongst the competitors, all winners of prizes repay one-half the amount to a fund foran entertainment to their friends, which, we are informed, will take place on the return of Capt. Swanson, winner of the principal prize, from Otago in the Julia Ann.