St. Mark's, 1876.

St. Mark's Church (Fig. 219) was consecrated on the 21st May, 1876, by the Right Rev. Octavius Hadfield, Bishop of Wellington, assisted by the Ven. Archdeacon Stock, Rev. B. W. Harvey, Rev. F. Sheriff and Rev. C. D. de Castro.

A meeting was held at Bethune and Hunter's offices on June 22, 1874, when a new parochial district was inaugurated. Sir James Fergusson, father of the present Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson) was an active member of the committee. The first incumbent was the Rev. E. H. Grainger, who resigned before the church was built. He was succeeded in October, 1876, by the Rev. R. Coffey, who was in charge of the parish until his lamented death in March, 1907. (A report of the Jubilee of St. Mark's appears in the “Dominion,” 19/5/26.)