Allen Bell

Colonel Allan (Allen) Bell (14 February 1870 – 15 October 1936) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the Bay of Islands in Northland.

In 1895, Bell travelled to southern Africa and served with the British armed forces that in 1896 suppressed a rising by the Matabele (Ndebele) people.

[2] As a conservative, Bell stood for the Waikato electorate at the 1908 general election for the opposition, but lost to the incumbent from the Liberal Party, Henry Greenslade.

"[5] During the campaign Bell created controversy when he advocated the abolition of the monarchy, and the creation of a New Zealand republic.

A ballot was taken by A Squadron's secretary, Frontiersman Thomas E. Whitton, which showed a large majority in favour of a Dominion Executive, a five shilling annual levy for its support, and election of Colonel Bell as the North Island Commandant of the Legion.

At the conclusion of the meeting Colonel Bell referred to the great loss sustained by the Defence Forces by the very recent death of Mrs Brewis (of Hamilton), who was the first woman in New Zealand to assist in organising the universal military training movement.

He acted as a land agent and was a newspaper editor, first writing for the Northern Age and then founding the Northlander.

[1] Bell received a requisition in September 1922 for the upcoming election and agreed to stand in the Bay of Islands electorate on the condition that he could be an Independent.