Far North Mayor John Carter regularly presides over citizenship ceremonies at Te Ahu in Kaitaia, but yesterday's welcome to 25 new New Zealanders was special.
The certificates of citizenship were presented by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, who was beginning a three-day visit to the Northland.
Those who took the oath or affirmation of allegiance included Ahipara woman Lucy Houtas, who said she had been in New Zealand for eight years.
"I married a Kiwi, my children are Kiwis, and I thought it was time I joined them," she said.
Dame Patsy and her husband Sir David Gascoigne were welcomed to Kaitaia with a powhiri at Te Ahu earlier in the morning. Later in the day they visited Kai Ora Honey, in Awanui, Kaitaia Primary School, He Korowai Trust and the Moko Foundation.
