ECCLESIASTICAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 149, 10 March 1866, Page 5

ECCLESIASTICAL.

The Rev. Lorenzo Moore, the incumbent of Papanui, near Christchurch, has been conducting service during the month at tho Supreme Court House, in accordance with the customary forms, of the Anglican Church. His ministrations have been acceptable to the members of his communion. He left the district on Tuesday last, and it is not anticipated that the public worship of tho Church ofEngland willbe resumed until the arrival of the gentleman appointed to the permanent cure of the district, of whose movements we have no information. It will no doubt occasion surprise to home readers, to know that a portion of the Province of Canterbury (founded on a Church of England basis) numbering notless probably than twentyfive thousand inhabitants, engaged in a large and lucrative commerce, exporting gold at the present time amounting to something like 80,000 ozs. weekly, , with twolargeandpopulouscapitaltowits and ports, has been left thus far without a single resident clergyman and without a building, howoverjluimblo^breotcd for the purpose of divine worship. Two of the other religious denominations have shown a very praiseworthy zeal and activity. The Wesleyans have two resident ministers, and a neat and commodious ohurch has been erected for tbe use of their congregation in Hokitika. The Roman Catholics have also two clergymen stationed in the district, and churches erected both at Hokitika and tho Grey. Religious' services are also regularly held by the mclnbors of other denominations in rooms temporarily used for the purpose. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The progress of building in town is rapidly advancing, and a very superior style of structure is superseding tho riuloly put, up stores, whioh wove

made to suffice for the exigencies of ti'.ule durinir the first days of, the gold-" fields. Substantial warehouse*, new banks and commodious hotels,' are gridually giving an entirely altered character to tho architectural appearance to- the town. We have referred elsewhere to the new theatre, which will present a very fine aiid imposing front to Revt'll-street. In the same street the Bank of New South Wales lias just completed a new set- of offices of very handsome design. - Near it is the Camp Reserve, a fine and commanding sitd in the oentre of the town, which is being surrendered to-the more general uses of the public. ' One portion of this have been taken possession of fby tho Baiik of New Zealand, who- are about to erect upon it a handsome building, and has already put up a smelting house as part of their establishment, The frontage immediately adjoining/ it lies been granted by the Government to the Volunteer Fire Brigade, who have adopted designs and called for tenders for a commodious engine-house, which is intended to have an ornamental exterior that will render it in keeping with the ne\v style of building that is growing up around, it. The new-, hospital •is finished, so far as the portion of the design at present taken in hand, is concerned, and is on the eve of being opened for public use. The new- gaol is progressing. . < . '" >