These new Kiwis swore to faithfully observe the laws of New Zealand and fulfil their duties as New Zealand citizens. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Twenty five Waipā residents, who swore their allegiances to King Charles III last week to become citizens, can probably lay claim to being among the first in the Commonwealth to do so.
There was no time to update the videos from the Department of Internal Affairs and governor-general Dame Cindy Kiro – they still mentioned the late Queen Elizabeth – but each new citizen read out how they would be faithful and bear true allegiance to New Zealand’s new king.
The ceremony in Te Awamutu on Friday was the first of its type for a year because of the pandemic.
During that time new citizens have been receiving their citizenship through the mail which doesn’t have the same sense of occasion.
Mayor Jim Mylchreest presided over the proceedings with councillor Philip Coles.
The new Kiwi citizens from Waipā are: Basil Baby Thottumpuram, (Te Awamutu) Indian; Ryan Depollo, (Cambridge) Filipino; Daiseree Depollo, (Cambridge) Filipino; Siobhan Gleeson, (Te Awamutu) Irish; Ruby Hargreaves, (Cambridge) Filipino; Dean Hawkins, (Cambridge) British; Regardt Katze, (Te Awamutu) South African; Lizelle Katze, (Te Awamutu) South African; James Kinston, (Te Awamutu) British; Karan Sehgal, (Te Awamutu) Indian; Riana Snyman, (Cambridge) South African; Quinton Snyman, (Cambridge) South African; David Du Preez, (Te Awamutu) South African; Susan Joyce, (Te Pahu) British; Konurai Kaewpraparn, (Cambridge) Thai; Zelda Leaney, (Cambridge) British; Elizabeth Pennington-Leaney, (Cambridge) British; Kevan Pennington, (Cambridge) British; Jacqueline Roberts, (Cambridge) British; Nikki Roberts, (Cambridge) British; Stephen Roberts, (Cambridge) British; Ranjit Singh, (Cambridge) Indian; Ripanjit Singh, (Cambridge) Indian; Wessel van den Berg, (Cambridge) South African; Riana van den Berg, (Cambridge) South African.
