J. E. Bell

Mr John Ewart Bell Dip.Ag.Cert.Agric. died in Auckland during the year.

Mr Bell was educated at Wellington College and Timaru High School, where he matriculated. Deciding to make a career in agriculture he then took a year off studies to work on a farm for 12 months to get a practical background before taking up a scholarship at Lincoln College in 1923. He completed the Diploma course in 1925 graduating with the College Gold Medal.

Mr Bell's first job was as farm manager at Wellesley College. The two years there must have given him an excellent grounding in managerial skills. In 1927 he was appointed to Fields Division Department, Agriculture, Auckland, as assistant instructor in agriculture. He later was appointed to Pukekohe and then back to Auckland again as senior instructor. During the period 1941-45 he was stationed in Wellington as land utilisation officer.

In 1946 he returned to Auckland as field superintendent and remained there until his retirement 20 years later.

His original district stretched from North Cape to an east-west line south of Taupo but excluding Gisborne. Not only did he have control of Fields Division staff in their advisory capacity but he also had to approve and oversee their experimental work.

Travelling around the district on a regular basis kept Mr Bell closely in touch with his staff and their problems. He also kept himself up to date with new developments in farm practices and the results of trials.

Towards the end of his career with the Department he had a couple of trips to Japan to advise on grassland farming. It is likely he was one of the early members of New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science. He was still a member five years ago. He gave papers to New Zealand Weed and Pest Control Society and to grasslands conferences.

Retirement from government service came in 1966. However, he was persuaded to help out with advisory work with the Franklin Farm Improvement Club and this plus golf and gardening kept him occupied. He gave up work when reached the age of 80. (Source: 1990 Alumni Magazine Lincoln University, p76)