Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 560, 17 March 1858, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

The Planet steamer has made her first trip to Akaroa. She started on Saturday morning last at a quarter past eight in the morning with about 20 passengers, one-half of whom were ladies. She had a favourable passage, falling in with a fair wind from the Long-look-out point to Akaroa heads; the breeze freshened towards the afternoon, so that the schooner Port Glasgow which had been overtaken off Okain's Bay was able to keep a few cables' length astern of the steamer. Akaroa heads were made in sh. 50m. from Port Cooper heads, and the passengers landed in the town of Akaroa in exactly eight hours from Lyttelton. This trip must be considered a very fair performance for so small a boat. She returned yesterday in about the same time full OfV passengers and fruit, having towed the Eagle schooner to the heads. The Bishop of Christchurch visited Akaroa last week, for the purpose of holding a confirmation. On Saturday his Lordship consecrated the burial ground of that town. The site is one acre of a three acre block which had been reserved for a cemetery. It is beautifully situated on the first low spur of the hills about threequarters of a mile from the town towards the Red- House, and will presently be connected with the town by a good road; it is well fenced in, a work which was done a short time ago by contribution .of the inhabitants. The ceremony of consecration followed morning service in church, which was well attended; as was also the service on the ground. The Bishop of Christchurch delivered on the occasion a very impressive address. In consequence of no candidate coming forward for confirmation, that rite did not take place as intended. . The Sumner-road has been found of great convenience during the past week for the transEortation to the plains of immigrants per Roeampton with their baggage, in a manner much more comfortable tc themselves than the route either by sea or by the bridle-path offers for the conveyance of passengers and heavy luggage at once.

Yesterday Lyttelton was gay with the waving ot flags and the firing of guns from morning till night, in honour of the marriage of Mr. Robert H. Rhodes, of Purau, to a daughter of Mr. R. Latter one of the merchants of this town. t On Sunday evening, about ten minutes past six o clock, a smart shock of earthquake was felt throughout this neighbourhood to as great distance as we have been able to hear from. The shock lasted about fifteen seconds, and though not of so great duration seems by all accounts to have been as severe as any which we have yet felt. As on all former occasions no damage whatever was done. It will be seen from our shipping report that the Emerald Isle schooner observed some remarkable phenomena of the sea just at the moment of the shock, and a connection is to be presumed.