Allen Bell
Encyclopedia
Lt. Colonel Allan Bell (14 February 1870 – 14 or 15 October 1936) was a New Zealand
Member of Parliament for the Bay of Islands
in Northland.
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.
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
. He also argued for the abolition of New Zealand's upper house and Britain's House of Lords. As a result of his comments, the Reform Party disendorsed Bell as their candidate. 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.
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.
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.
electorate in the 1922
as an Independent, and in 1925
for the Reform Party, but was defeated by Harold Rushworth
of the Country Party
in 1928
. The election result was declared void, but in the subsequent 1929 by-election
Rushworth was again elected.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Member of Parliament for the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
in Northland.
Hamilton and the Waikato
Bell was a member of the WaipaWaipa
Waipa is a former Parliamentary electorate in the Waikato Region of New Zealand, which existed for various periods between 1876 and 1996.-History:Waipa existed from 1876 to 1890, 1893 to 1896, then from 1954 to 1969, and then from 1978 to 1996....
County Council and the Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
Borough Council. He was the founder of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral (A & P) Association and the first director of the Waikato
Waikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
Dairy Company in 1912.
Bell ran for the seat of Waikato at the 1908 general election
New Zealand general election, 1908
The New Zealand general election of 1908 was held on Tuesday, 17 November, 24 November and 1 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 2 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 17th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
, but lost to the Liberal candidate. At the 1911 general election
New Zealand general election, 1911
The New Zealand general election of 1911 was held on Thursday, 7 and 14 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 18th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
Bell ran as the Reform Party candidate for the Raglan
Raglan (New Zealand electorate)
-History:The Raglan electorate existed from 1861 to 1870, from 1911 to 1978, and then from 1984 to 1996.In 1996, Simon Upton who was then the MP for Raglan chose to become a list MP...
seat. During the campaign Bell created controversy when he advocated the abolition of the monarchy, and the creation of a New Zealand republic
Republicanism in New Zealand
Republicanism in New Zealand is a theoretical political concept, the implementation of which would result in changing New Zealand's current constitutional monarchy to that of a republic...
. He also argued for the abolition of New Zealand's upper house and Britain's House of Lords. As a result of his comments, the Reform Party disendorsed Bell as their candidate. 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.
Legion of Frontiersmen
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.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
Dargaville
Dargaville is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the bank of the Northern Wairoa River in the Northland region. The town is located 55 kilometres southwest of Whangarei....
one winter's night and form the Northern Wairoa (Mounted Rifles) Squadron of the Legion.
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.
Member of Parliament
Allen Bell won the Bay of IslandsBay of Islands (New Zealand electorate)
Bay of Islands is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It existed during various periods between 1853 and 1993.-Population centres:...
electorate in the 1922
New Zealand general election, 1922
The New Zealand general election of 1922 was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament...
as an Independent, and in 1925
New Zealand general election, 1925
The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
for the Reform Party, but was defeated by Harold Rushworth
Harold Rushworth
Harold Montague Rushworth was a New Zealand politician of the Country Party.-Early life:Rushworth was born in Croydon, England and was educated at Rugby School and Jesus College, Oxford, graduating with a degree in law. He became a civil engineer and surveyor and worked for the London County...
of the Country Party
Country Party (New Zealand)
The Country Party of New Zealand was a political party which based itself around rural voters. It was represented in Parliament from 1928 to 1938. Its policies were a mixture of rural advocacy and social credit theory....
in 1928
New Zealand general election, 1928
The New Zealand general election of 1928 was held on Tuesday, 13 November in the Māori electorates, and on Wednesday, 14 November in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 23rd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
. The election result was declared void, but in the subsequent 1929 by-election
Bay of Islands by-election, 1929
The Bay of Islands by-election of 1929 was a by-election held on 10 April 1929 during the 22nd New Zealand Parliament in the Northland electorate of Bay of Islands. The by-election came about because Harold Rushworth's win in the general election of the previous year was declared void...
Rushworth was again elected.