FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16138, 15 January 1913, Page 6

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

(From the " Lyttelton Times" of Wednesday, January 14, 1863.) On New Year's Day the first stone of the Church of St John, at Okain's Bay was laid. It was a great disappointment to the inhabitants that the Bishop of Christchurch was not present on this occasion, but other urgent calls upon his Lordship's time compelled him to forego his intended, visit. Morning service was held in the schoolroom, which was prettily decorated with arches of evergreen, the walls being relieved with the fronds of the nikau palm, some of them being fully twelve foot long. After this, the children leadinp- the way in pairs, the congregation proceeded to the site of the new church, which adjoins the school ground, the entrance to. which was surmounted by a large arch of evergreen, erected by Mr Moray, the contractor. As soon as they were conveniently arranged under shade of the awnings erected for that purpose, the Old Hundredth psalm was sung, and the usual form of prayer used on such occasions was read by the Rev H. Torlesse, the curate of the neighbourhood, after which Mrs H. Torlesse' laid the stone. The stone bears the following initials : "St. J. C, 1863." On Thursday last Mr and Mrs R. H.

Rhodes gavo their usual annual entertainment to the school children of Lyttelton, and indeed we might say to the people of Lyttelton, for each year sees a larger number of parents and friends accompanying the little ones to the hospitable grounds of Purau. On this particular day some three hundred children were carried over in the steamer Gazelle, accompanied by nearly a hundred teachers and friends.