Exhibit 23.1

            CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors
Center Bancorp, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our reports  dated March 9, 2005,  with  respect to the
consolidated statements of condition of Center Bancorp, Inc. and subsidiaries as
of  December  31,  2004 and 2003,  and the related  consolidated  statements  of
income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in
the three-year  period ended December 31, 2004,  management's  assessment of the
effectiveness  of internal  control over financial  reporting as of December 31,
2004, and the  effectiveness of internal control over financial  reporting as of
December  31,  2004,   which  reports  are  incorporated  by  reference  in  the
registration  statement,  and to the  reference  to our firm  under the  heading
"Experts" in the proxy statement/prospectus.

                                  /s/ KPMG LLP

Short Hills, New Jersey
April 12, 2005