Local Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 357, 4 February 1863, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

Church op England.— On the morning of Sunday last, the Ist inst.; the church of St.' John the Evangelist, Napier, was. consecrated by the Eight Eev. the Bishop of Wellington. , Th&event —the first of the kind in this province— was one of great interest to the 'members of the Church of England in this town, as well .as to many at a distance who have heartily co-operated. The

y tmilding, as our readers are aware, has been used for the celebration of Divine service for nearly a .year ; but, owing to its having been burdened ?with a heavy debt (the particulars of which have already been made public) its final dedication to the purposes for which it was erected, has been ■necessarily delayed. The consecration service, which is particularly solemn and impressive, immediately preceded the usual morning service. The Bishop was met at the porch of the church by the officiating minister, the Rev. H. W. St. Hill, as well as by the trustees, vestrymen and •churchwardens of the newly formed parish ; and, after receiving the petition for consecration, proceeded up the aisle, repeating alternately with the office bearers the 24th psalm. The suitable prayers then followed; and, God's blessing having been asked upon all the purposes for which the •building is intended to be used, — the Bishop proceeded to preach an impressive sermon from Isaiah LVII. and 15, dwelling especially upon the 'blessings attendant on public and private prayer, •and the incompleteness of one without'the other*

Waiboa, — We learn that, owing to the prevalence of drought in this district, the river has •been fox some time closed — th« <3ipsy being "jammed " inside. The wheat and potato crops «,re expected to prove so small as almost to be a failure ; and although the maize in the ground *will yield a little for the first crop, the second will lie worth nothing.

BeH** We have been requested to point out that Mr. Janisch's land sale was, in our last, advertised In error for Friday the sixth of lehiwry, instead of Tuesday the fourth of March.

New Punt. — We hear that the new punt for •the Ngaruroro Ferry, now being constructed by Mr. Dolbel, is to be launched in course of the present week. It is gratifying to think, therefore, that the danger which attends the use of the jpresent rotten structure is not likely to be of much longer continuance.

Watpukueau.-- We understand that Mr. Purvis Russell is not unlikely to be the member for Waipukurau in the room of Mr. Johnston. We may remark that the name of the latter, as well as ttiat of his seconder, were among the number of unfortunate new claimants, and that both gentlemen supposed themselves at the time of the nomination to be duly qualified electors.