The Venerable Edward Atherton Lingard, Archdeacon of Akaroa and Vicar of St. Luke's, Christchurch, was born at Runcorn, Cheshire, England, and educated at the Grammar Schools of Manchester and Heverham, and at St. Edmond Hall, Oxford. He came to Nelson, New Zealand, in 1860, and was appointed a master of the Bishop's School and Secretary to Bishop Hobhouse, first Bishop of Nelson. In 1864 he was appointed to Headmastership at Christ's College, where he remained for a year and a half. He was ordained by the late Bishop Harper in 1864, and appointed incumbent of Governor's Bay in the following year. Archdeacon Lingard took charge of the parish of St. Luke's on the 7th of April, 1867. He performed his work unassisted until April, 1874, when the Rev. C. J. Merton was appointed curate, the first appointment of the kind made in the diocese. Mr. Merton remained in office for one year, and the position was next filled by the Rev. E. A. Scott, who occupied it until Easter, 1878. Since then various gentlemen have successively assisted Archdeacon Lingard.