of the colony to the Bishop, that it was the opinion of the law office of the Crown that it was impossible to make a new diocese without the Bishop's consent. This was a mere matter of form, as the Bishop was not only willing, but anxious that the new diocese should be formed.”
Bishop Selwyn returned from the Auckland Islands to welcome the Bishop-designate, and wished the latter to go to Sydney to be consecrated, but Dr. Jackson preferred to return to England, and after a stay of only a few weeks, left Lyttelton on March 15, it being then anticipated that he would be consecrated in London and return to the diocese. This expectation was not fulfilled; Dr. Jackson resigned his appointment and accepted a living in England.
Dean Jacobs, who bad been chosen by Dr. Jackson in England to take charge of Christ’s College, and may, therefore, be considered a friendly critic, said of him:—
“A talented and amiable man, unquestionably, but one whom his best friends would probably not consider by nature qualified for the work of a colonial Bishop.”
We now come to an important act of colonisation—the allotment of land to the settlers. This event took place on Monday and Tuesday, February 17 and 18, at the Land Office, which was then only partially completed. The building stood on the site of the present City Council Chambers. “Outside the scene looked busy enough,” said the “Lyttelton Times,” of February 22. “Groups of land purchasers, lounging under the verandah, or lying under the luxuriant fern and grass with which the streets of Christchurch are still green, discussed the merits of their selections or their hopes of obtaining favourite spots. Around, horses were tethered and dogs quarrelled; bullocks, dragging timber from the bush, raised dust on the recent track; and the carpenters continued to work on the outside of the building, within which the exciting business of the day was going on.
