Newcomers welcomed to Hawke's Bay

Thirty-nine people from 11 countries were sworn in as new Kiwis at a citizenship ceremony staged at the Napier City Council chambers on Monday night.

Mayor Barbara Arnott officiated with each of the new New Zealanders being presented with a small native kowhai tree which they were encouraged to plant to symbolise putting down their new roots.

The recipients all swore the oath of allegiance to their new home country and sang their new national anthem.

Eleven of the new Kiwis were from Samoa while 10 were from the UK. The others were from Thailand (5) South Africa (4) India (2) The Philippines (2) and one each from Sweden, The United States, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ireland.

At the previous citizenship ceremony staged in Napier last November 37 people became New Zealanders.