The Allen Bell Memorial Award

He was born in Canterbury on Valentine's Day 1870. A Boer war veteran, Bell became a farmer in the Waikato and entered local body politics. In 1911 while serving as Lieutenant Colonel in Command 2nd Regiment, Auckland Mounted Rifle Volunteers. 

Bell unsuccessfully contested the Raglan electorate for the Reform Party in the 1911 general election. During the campaign Bell caused controversy when he advocated the abolition of the monarchy. The military leadership felt Bell had broken his oath of allegiance and he was asked to resign his commission which Bell reluctantly did. He then moved to Northland where he founded a Newspaper was elected to Parliament as an independent, and worked tirelessly to advance the economy and social development of Northland.