| Lieutenant Colonel Allen Bell MP |
|
|---|---|
| Allen Bell ca 1922 | |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Bay of Islands |
|
| In office 1922 – 1928 |
|
| Preceded by | Vernon Reed |
| Succeeded by | Harold Rushworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 February 1870 Southbridge, Canterbury |
| Died | 25 October 1936 (aged 66) Kaitaia, Northland |
| Political party | Independent (1922–1925) Reform (1925–1928) |
Lt. Colonel Allan (Allen) Bell (14 February 1870 – 14 or 15 October 1936) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the Bay of Islands in Northland.
Contents |
Bell was born at Southbridge, New Zealand on 14 February 1870. He was the son of Allen and Mary, farmers in the area.[1]
Bell was a member of the Waipa County Council and the Hamilton Borough Council. He was the founder of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral (A & P) Association and the first director of the Waikato Dairy Company in 1912.[2]
Bell ran for the seat of Waikato at the 1908 general election, but lost to the Liberal candidate. At the 1911 general election Bell ran as the Reform Party candidate for the Raglan seat. During the campaign Bell created controversy when he advocated the abolition of the monarchy, and the creation of a New Zealand republic.[3] He also argued for the abolition of New Zealand's upper house and Britain's House of Lords.[3] As a result of his comments, the Reform Party disendorsed Bell as their candidate.[4] The armed forces considered that Bell had broken his Oath of Allegiance as an Officer (Lieutenant Colonel). He was asked to resign his commission, which he reluctantly did in January 1912.[1]
In 1911, Bell joined the New Zealand Command of the Legion of Frontiersmen and after his discharge from the army went on to devote much of his time and energy into the promoting and expanding the Legion. Bell was appointed as the Legion's Commandant for Auckland with the rank of Colonel. He retained and uses this Legion of Frontiersmen rank for the rest of his life.[5]
In 1912, Bell journeyed to Dargaville and met with local men Dick Long, Andy Knudson and one other met in the Central Hotel in Dargaville one winter's night and form the Northern Wairoa (Mounted Rifles) Squadron of the Legion.[6]
In 1913, as Commandant of the Auckland District Bell convened (and chaired) a meeting of the Legion in the "Hall of Commerce" for the purpose of considering the viability of setting up a Dominion Executive of the Legion, the election of a Commandant for the North Island and other matters. A ballot is taken by A Squadron's secretary, Frontiersman Thomas E. Whitton which shows a large majority in favour of a Dominion Executive, a five shilling annual levy for its support, and election of Colonel Bell as the North Island Commandant of the Legion. Captain Forbes-Eadie LOF moves that the current Auckland Executive be disbanded and that Colonel Bell's new executive take over. This is unanimously approved. At the conclusion of the meeting Colonel Bell refers to the great loss sustained by the Defence Forces by the very recent death of Mrs Brewis (of Hamilton), who was the first woman in New Zealand to assist in organising the universal military training movement.
|
|
||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1922–1925 | 21st | Bay of Islands | Independent | |
| 1925–1928 | 22nd | Bay of Islands | Reform | |
Allen Bell won the Bay of Islands electorate in the 1922 as an Independent,[7] and in 1925 for the Reform Party,[8] but was defeated by Harold Rushworth of the Country Party in 1928.[8] The election result was declared void, but in the subsequent 1929 by-election Rushworth was again elected.[8]
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vernon Reed |
Member of Parliament for Bay of Islands 1922–1928 |
Succeeded by Harold Rushworth |