Mr. George Gatonby Stead, the Senior Partner, is one of the most prominent commercial men in Canterbury. He was born in 1841 in London, where he commenced his primary education, and subsequently completed his studies at St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown. Returning to London in 1865 Mr. Stead left for New Zealand, per ship “Talbot” in the following year, and joined the staff of the Union Bank of Australia, in Christchurch, soon after his arrival. He remained in the service of that institution until 1870, when he entered into partnership with the late Mr. William Royse, under the style of Royse, Stead and Co., as grain and export merchants. The firm conducted a large and successful business till 1882, when they disposed of it to the New Zealand Grain Agency Company, Ltd., which, however, discontinued business in 1884. Mr. Stead has long been prominently connected with public enterprises in Canterbury; he is chairman of directors of “The Press” Newspaper Company, Ltd., and a director of the Christchurch Gas, Coal, and Coke Company, Ltd., S. Manning and Co., Ltd., and the New Zealand Shipping Company. He was a promoter and deputy-chairman of the Union Insurance Company up to the time of its purchase by the Alliance Assurance Company of London, of which he is now deputy-chairman in New Zealand. He was foremost in the formation of the Canterbury Club, has long been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he was president during the years 1881-5-6, and took a leading part in the establishment of the Tai Tapu and Central Dairy Factories. Mr. Stead was the moving spirit of the Press Relief Fund and Winter Work Fund, which rendered such good service to the necessitous of Christchurch during two winters, and he assisted to forward the Brunner Relief Fund by his influence. It will be remembered that during the great maritime strike of 1800, Mr. Stead was active in organising the freelabourers in Lyttelton, and at the general election held at the end of that year, he became a candidate for the House of Representatives for the Avon constituency, but was defeated, owing to the labour party opposing his return, by a comparatively nar row majority of 160. Mr. Stead has long been conspicuous in racing matters in Canterbury, and has filled the office of treasurer of the Jockey Club for twenty-five years. He is one of the largest owners of racehorses in the Colony, and has been very successful as a prize-winner. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Stout-Vogel Ministry. It was he who initiated the patriotic movement which resulted in Canterbury providing and equipping a troop of 110 mounted men, who were despatched to South Africa by the s.s. “Knight Templar” in February, 1900. Mr. Stead was married in 1876 to a daughter of Mr. Wilkinson, of Yorkshire, England, and has three sons and one daughter.