Some of the most severe criticism was that there was no church for the settlers .
After the first church was completed in May 1852 , an editorial in the Lyttelton Times defended his decision to focus on the necessary infrastructure first .
Some of the most severe criticism was that there was no church for the settlers , but after the first church was completed in May 1852 , an editorial in the Lyttelton Times defended his decision to focus on the necessary infrastructure first .