Late Sir Francis Bell.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19660, 16 March 1936, Page 3

Late Sir Francis Bell.

THE FUNERAL SERVICE. AERY LARGE ATTENDANCE. TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL FIGURE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association). WELLINGTON, March 16. The funeral of the late Sir Francis Bell took place to-day. St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral was crowded out with one of the largest and most representative gatherings ever seen in Wellington, practically every section of the community and all shades of political thought being represented. Those prescnl in< haled Major

unis, representing the Governor

General, Viscount- Galway, tin* Prime Minister, Mr. M. J. Savage, the At-torney-General, Mr. 11. G. K. Mason, and Messrs. Parry, F. Langstone, and Mark Fagan, Ministers of the Grown, Justices Reed, Ostler, Blair

and Kennedy, and prominent members of both Houses of the legislature, including Mr. J. G. Coates.

The legal profession was well represented, also public bodies,. Govirument departments, civic authoii-

ties, commercial and other interests. The services was conducted by Bishop Sprott and Canon James preached the panegyric and also officiated at the Karori crematorium.

In his panegyric, Canon James referred to the passing of a link with colonisation days in New Zealand in Sir Francis Bell, also to his long term of public service, both in chic and political life. He paid a tribute to deceased as the leader of the legal profession for half a century in New Zealand. He was a lover "1 men and loved by all men. He was remembered particularly in St. Paul’s, where the Toe H lamp was dedicated to his son who fell in the Great War.

Members of the Toe II participated u the Cathedral service.