Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)

The Right Honourable Sir Francis Bell GCMG KC
Bell c. 1924
20th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 14 May 1925 – 30 May 1925
Monarch	George V
Governor‑General	Charles Fergusson
Preceded by	William Massey
Succeeded by	Gordon Coates
Constituency	none (Legislative Councillor)
11th Mayor of Wellington
In office 1891–1893
Preceded by	Arthur Winton Brown
Succeeded by	Alfred Brandon
In office 1896–1897
Preceded by	George Fisher
Succeeded by	John Rutherford Blair
Personal details
Born	(1851-03-31)31 March 1851 Nelson, New Zealand
Died	13 March 1936(1936-03-13) (aged 84) Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	Reform
Spouse(s)	Caroline Robinson, Lady Bell ​ ​ (m. 1878; died 1935)​
Children	8, including: Cheviot Bell William Bell
Parent(s)	Sir Dillon Bell Margaret (Hort), Lady Bell
Relatives	Arthur Bell (brother) Brenda Bell (niece)

Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell GCMG PC KC (31 March 1851 – 13 March 1936) was a New Zealand lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of New Zealand from 14 to 30 May 1925. He was the first New Zealand-born prime minister, holding office in a caretaker capacity following the death of William Massey.^[1]

Bell was born in Nelson. His father, Sir Dillon Bell, was also a politician. Bell attended Auckland Grammar School and Otago Boys' High School before going on to St John's College, Cambridge. He returned to New Zealand to practise law, settling in Wellington and eventually becoming president of the New Zealand Law Society. Bell served as Mayor of Wellington from 1891 to 1893 and from 1896 to 1897. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1893, after two previous defeats, but served only a single term before retiring in 1896 to return to the legal profession.

In 1912, Bell was appointed to the Legislative Council as a representative of the Reform Party. In the Reform Government under William Massey, he served as Minister of Internal Affairs (1912–1915), Minister of Immigration (1912–1920), Attorney-General (1918–1926), Minister of Health (1919–1920), and Minister of External Affairs (1923–1926). When Massey died in office in 1925, Bell – aged 74 – was commissioned as his replacement for 16 days while the party elected a new leader (Gordon Coates). Bell retired from politics the following year. Only Henry Sewell served a shorter term as prime minister, and only Walter Nash served as prime minister at a greater age.