New Zealand's Dutch ambassador was welcomed to a Wanganui farm with a march played by 11 children and a homemade apple tart, with lashings of cream.
Arie van der Wiel and his wife were in the second day of their visit to Wanganui yesterday. They had already taken in the glass festival, "a marvellous initiative", and visited Axiam Industries. Mr van der Wiel was to speak to Rotarians at lunchtime.
He said he would talk about the financial crisis in Europe - its challenges and opportunities, the reforms that have been made and the solidarity it has brought to the European Union.
Mr van der Wiel was invited to Wanganui by MP Chester Borrows, who is to chair a new Parliamentary New Zealand-Netherlands friendship group.
The ambassador said there were 150,000 first-, second- and third-generation Dutch people in New Zealand, and they had integrated beautifully.