Bell Block

Bell Block is a town in Taranaki, New Zealand. State Highway 3 runs through it. It is 6 km north-east of the centre of New Plymouth and 1 km from the outer edge of New Plymouth at Waiwhakaiho. Waitara is about 9 km to the north-east. New Plymouth Airport is located immediately to the north-east of Bell Block. The population was 4,065 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 168 from 2001. The land was purchased in November 1848 by Francis Dillon Bell from the Puketapu iwi. The initial purchase was 1,500 acres (610 ha) but more land was added subsequently. Disagreements over the sale of the land contributed to the First Taranaki War. A stockade was built to protect local settlers in 1860. Some of the earthworks continued until 1972 when a...