FORTY YEARS A PRIEST.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19227, 6 February 1928, Page 8

FORTY YEARS A PRIEST.

REV. FATHER SMIERS

The fortieth anniversary of the ordination of Father Smiers as a priest was celebrated at Opptiki last Thursday. He was born in Holland on February sth, 1856. He was ordained at Salford, England, on Februry 2nd, 1888, and came shortly afterwards by the steamer Tongariro to New Zealand. His first parish was Matata, and he stayed there eleven months. From there he was appointed first priest at Waihi, m the Taupo district, and he stayed there seven years, working amongst the Maoris. His parish also took in the whole of the Bay of Plenty, which he traversed twice a year by horse. On his first trip he was lost in the bush for 30 hours, having neither food nor water, but eventually reached a Maori camp, where he had a feed of potatoes. He took charge of Puhoi for one year, and was transferred next as the first priest in charge of Whangarei, working the whole of the Kaipara district. He stayed there 14 years. After a few months at Taumarunui he was appointed chaplain of the Sacred Heart College, where he remained for two years, going then to Opotiki in 1913, and he has been there ever since. During his residence in New Zealand Father Smiers has built churches in Waihi, Taupo, Maungakaramea, and Te Kopuru. also the Presbytery Convent, and School at Whangara, and the school at Opotiki.