LAST TRIBUTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 91, 17 March 1936, Page 8

LAST TRIBUTES

LATE SIR FRANCIS BELL. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 16. The funeral of the late Sir Francis Bell took place to-day at St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, which was crowded out with one of the largest and most representative congregations ever seen in Wellington. Practically every section of the community, and all shades of political thought, were represented. Those present included Major Purvis (representing the Governor-General), Hon. M. J. Savage (Prime Minister), the Attorney-General (Hon. IT. G. It. Mason), and Hons. W. E. Parry, F. Langstone, M. Fagan (Ministers of the Crown), Judges Reed, Ostler, Blair, and Kennedy, and prominent members of both Houses of the Legislature, including Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. The legal profession was well represented, also public bodies, Government departments, civic authorities, and commercial and other interests. The chief mourners were the late statesman’s son, Mr Cheviot Bell, and Airs Bell, daughter, and son-in-law, Mr Justice Johnston, and Airs Johnston, Mrs G. II F. Rolleston, Aliss Bell, Mr and Airs J. G. Denniston, Airs Warwick Blundell (granddaughter) and Ml’ Blundell, Air Nigel Johnston (grandson), Mr E. D. Bell (brother), Air A. Iv. S. Mackenzie (nephew), and Mrs Mackenzie. The pall-bearers were relations, Air Charles Gill (personal servant) , and members of the staff of Sir Francis Bell’s home for over 40 J The service was conducted by Bishop Sprott, and Canon Percival James preached the panegyric and also officiated at the Karori crematorium. In the panegyric, Canon James referred to the passing of a link with colonisation davs in New Zealand in the death of Sir Francis Bell, also to his long term of public service, both in civic and political life. He paid a tribute to Sir Francis Bell as the leader of the legal profession for half a century in New Zealand. He was a lover of men and loved all men. He was remembered particularly in St. Paul’s, where a Toe IT lamp was dedicated to his son, who fell in the War. Alembers of Toe IT participated in the cathedral service.