Mr. Thomas Edward Taylor, formerly a Member of the House of Representatives for Christchurch City, was born at Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England, in 1862. He arrived in Lyttelton per ship “Cardigan Castle” in 1874, and was educated at public schools. Mr. Taylor was for nearly twenty years in the employment of Messrs. J. M. Heywood and Co., forwarding agents, and for several years prior to leaving the firm occupied the position of manager. In February, 1895, he entered into business on his own account as a commission agent and importer. Mr. Taylor has been for some years a prominent figure in connection with the prohibition movement in Christchurch. He was secretary of the celebrated Prohibition League in Sydenham at the time of the election of the Prohibition Committee, which was subsequently removed from office by order of the Supreme Court. Mr. Taylor came forward as a candidate for the city at the by-election in February, 1896, on which occasion he was defeated. At the general election in December of the same year he was returned as junior member for Christchurch. The Police Commission which was appointed in the session of 1897 was largely the result of Mr. Taylor's action in the House. His views are of the radical type, and he is a firm believer in State control of all means of production and distribution, which would then be practically in the hands of the people. Mr. Taylor was married in 1892 to a daughter of Mr. R. B. Ellison, of Christchurch, and has four daughters.