WANGANUI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 505, 5 September 1857, Page 4

WANGANUI.

(From the "Chronicle.") New Chitech.—The Catholic Chapel was ■opened on Saturday the 15th. with the usual solemnities. All persons having quitted the building and the way round it, the Bishop, in Pontifical outside vestments, having opened the ceremony with prayer and an anthem by the choir, went in procession with his clergy and •people round the chapel sprinkling the building with Holy water. Psalms were sung, and more •prayers offered up., The large door was then opened and the Bishops clergy and people entered, singing the Litanies of the Saints, walk-ing-in and before the altar. The interior of the Chapel was then blessed in the same manner as the outside by sprinkling all parts with Holy water. The altar was dressed in the same way •as on the greatest festivals. The new building having then been sanctified, it was dedicated to God under the title of " The Sacred Heart of Mary:" and then High Mass was celebrated in the prescribed form; during which the Bishop preached an impressive sermon on the duty of •erecting and embellishing the Temples of God. After the Mass was over, some persons, mostly Natives, were confirmed. Vespers were, celebrated in the evening—the musical portion of the' service being performed under the direction of'Serjeant Taylor of the 65th, and Mr. Davis; whose performance on the organ was excellent and much admired. The collections on Satur- = day and Sunday amounted to £21. Welch Ponies.—ln former times,.intending for New Zealand were told that for riding up and down a hilly country there would •be-a plentiful supply of cheap and hardy Timor 'ponies. Alas ! like so many other stories about New i Zealand, this has proved a delusion. There may have been Timor ponies, but assuredly neither cheap nor plentiful. The inhabitants of Wanganui, however, have now oppor--1 tunities of obtaining ponies of the true Welsh •;breed by sending mares, (not overgrown, nor 17 1 hands high) to the Westraere farm; where Mr. Maxwell declares that he has a pony from Wales, thorough bred, dark bay, 12 hands high, of .perfect symmetry, and doubtless possessing every >quality that can make ponies precious. Land Sale.—Mr. Fox arrived in Wanganui ■on' Wednesday last, and on Thursday held a sale of Bangitikei Land. It so happened that the day selected was not a good one, being that of Capt. Bazalgette's funeral; and we beilieve only three allotments were sold at the up•set price. Mr. Fox left Wanganui for Wellington on. Friday. Native Peodttce.—The amount of produce brought down by the Natives during the past week has been considerably above the average for this period of the year, and prices have been fully maintained. About 7 tons potatoes sold .at from £3 *10s. to £4 per ton. 40 bushels ■wheat at 9s. per bushel: 2J tons flour at £21 . : per ton, | ton bran at a |d. per lb., and 35 bushels oats at 4. 6d. per bushel. The quantity -of .potatoes remaining in their hands is from all ■ we can learn something very inconsiderable, and we expect that higher prices "will yet be obtained. The Feeet.—We are informed that Mr. ■ Jones is making active preperations for the establishment of the New Ferry. Also that springs and other necessary iron work have been imported per Venture for constructing a passenger and luggage van to run to the Bangitikei.