Mr Jeremiah Kelly Will Be 104 Tomorrow

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 14

Mr Jeremiah Kelly Will Be 104 Tomorrow

Tomorrow, New Year’s Day, is the start of a new year in more ways than one for Mr Jeremiah Kelly, of Christchurch, for it marks his one hundred and fourth birthday. Although a little deaf. Mr Kelly is still in full possession of his faculties, and still enjoys a cup of tea—his favourite drink—and his pipe. He is a little tired after Christmas, which he enjoyed, and is looking forward to New Year and to his birthday. Until a year ago, Mr Kelly lived in Buccleugh street, Christchurch. with his eldest son. Mr F. Kelly and Mrs Kelly. He is now in the Mary Potter Hospice at Calvary Hospital. Mr Kelly had nine children—three sons and six daughters. Mr Kelly was born In Ireland, and he left for New Zealand in the vessel Waitangi on July 2, 1877; the same date that the order of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, who run the Mary Potter Hospice, was founded by Mary Potter.

After landing at Lyttelton. Mr Kelly travelled to Timaru. then a day's journey. Except for five years which he spent on the Wert Coast, he spent more than 50 vears in South Canterbury, coming to Christchurch more than ’6 years ago. He spent h's life farming, and came to Christchurch after an accident in which he broke both legs. While living in Christchurch with his son. Mr Kelly’s main nastimes were playing patience, having “The Press” read to him each morning, being taken for car drives around the city, and listening to the radio. At the Mary Potter Hosnice Mr Kellv enioys sitting on a balconv in the sun smoking his pipe. His

sight is not sufficiently good for him to read and he no longer listens to the radio, but enjoys talking with visitors and others in the hospice. Mr Kelly’s advice for a long life is to take everything as calmly as possible. He has smoked since he was 14. and until several years ago he smoked cigarettes. He now smokes a pipe, “but not so much now, because of my constitution, ’’ he said. On his birthday Mr Kelly will receive an Apostolic Blessing from Pope John, which pleases him very much. Many members of his family will visit him on Sunday, and will hold a small party around his bed.

Back To Auckland By Wheelchair (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. December 30. The wheelchair traveller. Mr H. H. Cadogan, of Auckland, left Wellington this morning on his way back to Auckland. He had driven from the north in his wheelchair to gain recruits for his organisation, the Auckland Disabled Citizens’ Society. Mr Cadogan, cruising at 40 miles an hour for most of the way. arrived well ahead of schedule in the capital, spent the night in a city hotel, and set off early this morning via the Wairarapa.

Honesty isn’t any policy at all: it’s a state of mind or It isn’t honesty.—Eugene L'Hote.