TEN YEARS' SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1922, Page 7

TEN YEARS' SERVICE

SIR FRANCIS BELL HONOURED

TRIBUTE BY PRUT OS OF WALES.

(UNITED PKESB ASSOCIATION.—OOPMIGHT.)

(inaiEAUAN - raw Zealand cabm .association.) LONDON, 13th October. Sir James Allen and Lady Allen tendared a reception.to 1000 members of the Imperial Institute, including several Imperial Ministers, many New Zealanders, High Commissionerß, and AgentsGeneral. v

__The Prince- of Wales presented Sir .t rancia Bell with a casket commemorating his ten yeara' service as Leader of the legislative Council. The Prince received a hearty ovation. Us recalled his grandfather's interest in the Imperial' Institute, which he hoped would.be of the greatest assistance to all the Do-minions. The gathering recalled very pleasantly the many happy days he spent in New Zealand during his Dominion tour—days jvhich he could never forget.

_ It was. a pleasure to honour Sir Francis Bell, to whom he was specially grateful, because he organised the splendid month he spent in New Zealand. The Prince referred appreciatively to. ■the' outstanding achievements of Sir Francis Bell's legal and political career. It waa a- wonderful record of public service. He concluded by wishing Sir Francis a pleasant holiday^ Sir Francis Bell, replying, commended the patriotism of the Legislative Council in war-time in sinking partisanship, and co-operating interests in New Zealand and the Empire. The non-partisanship wasr continuing during the post-war :reconstruofcion. He pointed out the success of the repatriation scheme, and said the soldiers had already repaid half of the monetary advances, and. the failures amounted to only 2 per cent. He eulogised the- Prince of Walea's services to the Emph'e, and emphasised New Zealand's loyalty to the Crown and devotion and respect for the Royal House, which they claimed was as much theirs as England's.