Mr. E. J. T. Ford, who was born in Staffordshire, England, came to New Zealand in 1866. He was for several years in the service of Messrs Twentyman and Cousin, merchants, and was afterwards engaged in the flax-dressing business, from which he retired after about three years' experience, and was subsequently in business in Christchurch as a land and estate agent. He was a member of the Heathcote Road Board, of which he was for some time chairman. Mr. Ford married a daughter of the late Dr Willis, of Opawa, who came to New Zealand with her parents in the ship “Isabella Hercus” in 1851.