In the early days, the only means of communication with the West Coast was by sea, and the discomforts that travellers encountered were considerable; still as early as the year 1865 provision was made for man's religious and moral wants on the Coast. In that year the first Roman Catholic missionary was at work in Hokitika, where he established St. Mary's, the first Roman Catholic church on the Coast. Shortly after that, Anglican services were provided, under the auspices of the Right Rev, Dr. Harper, the first Bishop of Christchurch, and afterwards Primate of New Zealand, who travelled overland to the West Coast from Canterbury—a great undertaking in those days. Two years later the first Presbyterian church in Hokitika was opened, and St. Paul's Wesleyan church was erected in the year 1872. Since then, various other churches have been established in the province. A large number of smaller settlements have church buildings, and services are held in many other places.