OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20743, 14 June 1929, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR GEORGE BELL. The death of Mr George Bell, as the result of an operation, took place in Melbourne on Wednesday. Mr .Bell was known in Dunedin some years ago among a wide circle of friends, having been managing director of the Evening Star Company from 1902 to 1904, though members of his family have preserved their connection with that journal since its foundation. He was born in Yorkshire in 1537, and settled with his parents and six sisters in Victoria in 1851. When his family removed to Dunedin in 1863. he remained in Melbourne to enter the Victorian civil service, where lie rapidly rose to the head of the Government Shorthand Writers’ Department. After studying law under Professor Hearue at Melbourne University, he was called to the Bar, but did not practise his profession. In 188 She was appointed to an important position in the Crown Law .Department. , He had retired on pension for some years, when he again took tip active work to become managing director of the Evening Star Company in this city. Although his actual residence in Dunedin was comparatively short, Mr Bell had, tip till the time of his father’s death in 1899, made periodical visits to New Zealand, and numbered among his friends in this city the late Dean Fitchett, Mr J. T. Mackerras, Mr Herbert Webb, Mr Culling, and many others. Mr Bell was deeply interested in the religious and social welfare of the community in which he lived, and, with his father, was one of the founders of the Kew Independent Church (Melbourne). For many years he gave active service to his church* both as a lay preacher and. Sunday school superintendent, and also took part in the founding of the Normal' College for the training of Sunday school teachers. In a social direction Mr Bell’s interests lay chiefly in instrumental music, and up till his death he was devoted to string quartets, a form of music in which he himself was a performer of no little merit. Among other activities, he was a keen student of natural science, and wrote many informative articles on this subject. He is survived by two daugh- , ters and three sons, all resident in Melbourne, with the exception of Mr Percy Bell, of Dunedin, a director of the Evening Star Company. MAORI WAR VETERAN. The death has occurred at Matamata of Mr Edmond Myles, aged 90 years. Mr Myles was a native of Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand in the “ sixties.” After a period on the Thames goldfields he joined the celebrated Forest Rangers under Von Tempsky, and served with that officer during most of his campaign. He was present at the fighting at Orakau against Rewi, fought in Taranaki, and was at the engagement at Ngutuotimanu, and took part in the campaign against Te Kooti.

JOHN D. O’HARA,

THE WELL-KNOWN ACTOR.

MELBOURNE, June 13, {Received June 14, at 0.15 a.m.)

The death is announced of Mr John D. O’Hara, the veteran actor; aged 00. He was well known for the role he played in “Lightnin’.”