AMERICAN BISHOP.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 46, 22 January 1938, Page 2

AMERICAN BISHOP.

VISITOR TO DOMINION. FROM OKLAHOMA CITY. AUCKLAND, Jan. 21. A native of Prince Edward Island, Canada, but for most of his life an American resident, Bishop Francis Clement Kelley, of Oklahoma City, was a through passenger for Sydney to-day. Bishop Kelley, who will return to Auckland next month for tho Catholic Centenary celebrations, said he had been requested by the Board of Catholic Bishops of the United States to represent them at the celebrations. Archbishop Murray, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was also to have attended, but had been unable to make the journey. Bishop Kelley described himself as a real northerner, as Prince Edward Island, where he was born, lies from 45 degrees to 47 degrees north. All he knew about New Zealand was what he had learned at school—that it was “shaped like a boot.” While lie had met many Australian bishops and priests, liej had no recollection of ever having met any from New Zealand.

“My diocese of Oklahoma was originally set aside as a place where Indians could gather and was divided into two territories,” said Bishop Kelley. “Oklahoma means ‘land of the red people,’ and the State was later opened for settlement by whites, the Government buying the land from the Indians.

“The settlement of the land was determined by the greatest derby in history. One night there were only Government surveyors in the city, and the next day there were 10,000 peoplo from four sides of the city. At the firing of a gun the great derby commenced, and those' who were first to put down stakes on the land claimed it. They became known as ‘sooners,’ as they got there sooner than others. So I am bishop of ‘sooners.’ ” Accompanying Bishop Kelley was Rev. Father Reardon, of Minnesota. He visited the Dominion three years ago and toured the scenic resorts, starting at the Bluff and finishing at Auckland.