Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)

Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell, GCMG, ( born March 31, 1851 in Nelson, † March 13, 1936 in Wellington ) was the first New Zealand-born Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Early life

Bell was born in Nelson, the eldest son of Sir Francis Dillon Bell. His mother was Margaret Hort, who was of Jewish descent and later converted to Christianity. He attended Auckland Grammar School and the Otago Boys' High School; in the latter he was 4 years of Dux (best student).

After graduating from high school, he traveled to England and visited the St John 's College, Cambridge, which he in 1872 as BA completed. After his return he began to work as a lawyer in Wellington.

He served in Wellington from 1878 to 1911 as Crown Solicitor. He was a prominent member of the local and national Law Society ( Lawyers Association ). He was 1901-1918 President of the latter.

Political career

His political career began with his election as Mayor of Wellington in 1891, 1892 and 1897. During the first general election in New Zealand in 1890 he was defeated as an independent parliamentary candidate in the constituency of Wellington. In a by-election he was defeated again. Finally he got to the elections in 1893 and had a seat in parliament this one term hold.

1912 came the Reform Party to power, and Bell was elected to the Upper House of Parliament, the Legislative Council of New Zealand and was Interior Minister and Immigration Minister in 1915. In 1918 he became Attorney General, a position he held until 1926. Since 1923 he was also Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand,

He represented New Zealand in 1922 the League of Nations and to conferences in Genoa and The Hague. In 1923 he received the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George and was appointed to the Privy Council.

Prime minister

Upon his return to New Zealand he became acting prime minister while William Massey was staying in London. Massey's health deteriorated rapidly and Bell took over largely the business of government. After Massey's death on 10 May 1925, he was officially on May 14, Prime Minister. He held the next 16 days of this office. Bell rejected the offer of the party to be prime minister, and was replaced on May 30 by Gordon Coates.

After he had given up his duties in 1926, he returned with Coates back to the League of Nations. He died on 13 March 1936 in Wellington.

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