OBITURY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10968, 16 July 1898, Page 3

OBITURY.

SIR FBANCIB DILLON BELL. (BY TELEGRAPH ) Wellington, F«lday, Sit F, D Bell died at *iheg Valley at 2 30 thia afternoon. Deoeated was a son of Edwaid Bell, of Horntey (who died Id 1864 , by Fanny, d&nghtier of the Rev, J Mabtbewa, of C:renoß6ter (sbe died Id 1870), and earns of a fsmlly, whloh, through Robert Btro'ay, of U<le, (he Qaaker apologist, olslmod descent from the blood royal of Ergland. Tbe late Sit Dillon Bell, who was 76 years of age at tbe lime of bis deaib, wub eduoated Id Fiance. la 1839 he entered the aervloe of tbe New Zealand Company, and foi a lime was assistant seoretary In London. He came to New Zealand sfiorbly after the settlement of Wellington and New Plymouth, and was agent of the company till 1850. la 1818 he was oalled to the legislative Cornell of New Monster, bat resigned two yeara later. Upon tte surrender of the ohsrler of the New Zeiland Company he baoame Cjmmlitloner of Crown Lands. T«ro years afterwards be entered tbe Provincial Conuc'.l af Wellington, where fas remained for three year*, befog called to the Legislative Connolt la 1854. and hold tlfije without portfolio under tbe system of ssml responilble Gjvernment wbloh then obtained. Deceased was Colonial Treamrer In tbe Grit responsible MinUtry, foimed by Mi Sewell and hlmieif in 1866 He was Colonial Treasurer, Miolater for Native Aff ilte, end Commissioner of Castoms In the Ojmetl Ministry, 0! the Fox Ministry ho was a member wlthont portfolio. It wa», however, in his capacity of Com* mlesloner of Land Claims 1556-62 and as Special Commissioner on ttia weit oo .si (f the North Island, 1879*81, that ho rendered the motb eminent services to the oolooy. In 1862 he went with Mr Goist to Auntralla, and tncoeeded In railing a foroe of military settlers to plant In tbe dlsvdibed Wblkato dlatilot. In 1861 he removed (o Otogo, and la the following yeir wbs elected to the Ptovinolal Coancll Ho was returned for the Mataora seat two years later, and In 1369 went to England lv oompany with Dr. Fd&theritone, on a speola! oommlialOD to ralee freeh forooa for tho oolony, and to obtain the Imperial guarantee to ft loan of £1,000,000 for Immigration and pnbilo works. In thW latter task the Commlstloners were entirely enooesefol. Ha retnrned to Otogo in 1871, and re entering Parliament was eitoted Speaker of the Home of Representative!, wbloh office he held for fire yeaie. In 1873 he was made a Knight Baohelor, being subsequently nominated to the Legislative Cornell, Sir Frarolr, In 1881, snesceded Sir Julius Yogel as Agent General for New Zealand, holdiug that tffije for ten years, when he returned to New Z:aland. Daring the whole tea yean of his regime be was not only a moit able representative of his own ODlony, bat was recognised by the Agents General of the Australasian oolonles as their leader In all representations to the Colonial Office on tbe complioatedin'j otof Australasian relations in the Western Pacific, Including tbe annexation of New Guinea, the New Hebildon embrogllo, and the Recldivlite ibilnx, At tbe Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 1886 he wat Executive Commluioner, and in 1889 was not only Executive Commissioner for New Z .aland at tbe Paris Bxhlbitlon, bus wai also a member of the Mansion Honee Corn* mlttea, For bis services in this conneotlon tho French Government bestowed upon him tbe Cjmmanderiblp of the Legion of H<> ■ -r. Lady Bell died In England In 1892.