THE NEW MEMBER FOR WEL LINGTON.

<S» Mr Willian McLean was born in 1845 at Grantown, Invernesshire, Scotland, so that he is now in his 47th year. His father was a shoemaker, and the subject of this notice was at an early age adopted by the Parish minister of his native village, the Rev. James Grant. At the age of thirteen he left for Rochdale, Lancashire, where he entered the factory of Messrs Butterwprth Bros., cotton spinners. In their employ, he remained till the cotton famine of 1863, consequent upon the American civil war, caused the firm of • Butterworth Bros., in common with many other factory owners, to shut up their works and suspend operations. Young McLean turned hia attention to the colonies, and as tho Otago goldfields

were then attracting attention, he left for ( Dunedin whence he made his way # upcountry. His first digging experience were gained at Manuherika, and Blacks diggings and Hill Creek. He did fairly j well in the pursuit of gold and in a short ; time found himself able to open a small store at a place called Bread and Water Galley. Then came the news of brilliant finds on the West Coast, and girding up his loins Mr McLean struck for the new El Dorado, being amongst the passengers carried to Hokitika by the steamer Gothenburg on her first trip thither from Dunedin. He was one of the first prospectors who broke ground at Lake Kanieri. Here he was unfortunate enough to break his arm, and was obliged to go to Christchurch for medical treatment, there being no doctor at Hokitika. From Christchurch he walked back to the Kanieri anU remained there for some years; Xbencq he went to the famous Blue Spur, in the Tuapeka district, the Hau Haii aria the Old Waimea, Second Terrace and Lamplaw (afterwards Chesterfield). From there he gravitated to Beefton, still following his advocation as as a goldminer, and at this place assisted at the erection of the second goldmining plant in the district. At Beefton he entered into business as an" Auctioner and minhvand commission agent. Finally he came to Wellington twelve years ago, and began business as an auctioneer. This he abandoned to enter the ser« vice of the Wellington Loan Company as secretary, which position he held for three years. For the last four years he has filled his present position of secretary to the Empire Loan and Discount Company. This is Mr McLean's third bid for Parliamentary honors, but it is the first time that he has been taken up and run as a Government candidate. He was rejected at one general election, and again at the general election oi December, 1890, each time by the electors of Wellington, whose suffrages he wooed. THE UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE. Mr Fr&ncis Henry Dillon Bell is the eldest son of the ex-Agent-General, Sir Francis Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G. He was educated at the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell, Auckland, the High School Dunedin, and at St, John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA. with mathematical honors in 1878. He is also a B.A. of the New Zealand University. In 1874 he was called to the English bar at the Middle Temple, and went on the Northern Circuit for some months. At the end of 1874 he came out to Wellington, and joined Mr C. B. Izard in his business of banister and solicitor. In 1873 he was appointed Crown Solioitor at Wellington and resigned his office in 1890. In 1878 he married a daughter of the late Hon. W. Bobinson, M.L.C. He was returned at the head of the poll in the election of directors of the Government Insurance Board in 1884, and in 1889 he moved the resolution, which was ultimately affirmed by the policy-holders to return the management of that institution to the Government. Mr Bell stood for Wellington at the general election of 1890 and was placed fourth on the poll, Messrs Geo. Fisher, J. Duthie, and Thos. Kennedy Mac Donald being the successful candidates. In November last he was elected Mayor of Wellington in opposition to Councilor Worth. Mr Bell has been President of the Wellington Law Society, and was offered and refused the vacancy on the Supreme Court Bench created by the resignation of Mr Justice Johnston. — N.Z. Times.