NEW CITIZENS TAKE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Press, Issue 29236, 21 June 1960, Page 17

NEW CITIZENS TAKE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Forty-nine minutes between 8 p.m. and 9 pun. yesterday were very important minutes for 74 men, women and children in Christchurch. During those minutes they left behind their old world allegiances and became citizens of New Zealand.

Shaking the rain from hats, coats and scarves, they came in off Manchester street to climb the stairs in the Christchurch City Council building to the council chamber.

One by one, in pairs and in family parties they got into line outside the chamber doors waiting to be shown to their numbered seats. Some of the older folk remembered other queues at other times in other places as they waited to pass through the door. Once everyone was in the chamber, and the friends packed on the wooden seats of the public gallery, there was the anxious wait for the few minutes to 8 o’clock.

Then came: “His Worship the Mayor.” Everybody stood as the Mayor (Mr George Manning), the Mayoress and the other officials took their seats on the dais. It was just 8 p.m.—the naturalisation ceremony had begun. Again the anxious pause. The few seconds to take in again the Union Jack and New Zealand flag on the wall behind the Mayor and the man sitting at the piano. The Mayor told the 74 new New Zealanders: “This year, in November, as citizens of this country, you will have your first opportunity of taking part in the election of the Government of this country.

"This is a very great privilege indeed, and with that privilege you will become interested and informed on the conditions and problems of your new country.” Mr Manning said the new citizens had brought to New Zealand a heritage of the history, institutions, social life and culture of their fatherlands.

“Many features of this will harmonise and integrate with somewhat similar features in the life of our own people here in New Zealand.

“If that is so. we invite you to contribute in that way to the variety and enrichment of the social life in your new country,” the Mayor added.

Then the names were called. They came forward: some hesitatingly, other firmly and confidently, to stand Bible in hand and swear allegiance to the Queen. One couple stood proudly behind their Boy Scout son and Brownie daughter, happy that the uniforms showed they belonged to their new country. Some stumbled over the words of their new language as they took the oath. Others already had marked New Zealand accents. Then came the last three: a Dutchman, a Swiss woman and a Chinese. Next the Mayor in-

vited everyone to stay for supper after the ceremony. They stood, the old and new citizens together, to sing the National Anthem. The clock showed 8.49 p.m. as the last notes died. The naturalisation ceremony was over.

At the ceremony the following citizens were naturalised: Henricus Waltherus Aarts; Julko Arlov and Mrs Anita Arlov and their children Bruno and Maria; Janis Atvars and Mrs Emilija Atvars and their son Andris; Aart Aartse Bakker and Mrs Johanna Bakker; Henk Banens and Mrs Anthonina Jacoba Banens and their son Peter Paul; Herbertas Bernotas and Mrs Gloria Bernotas and their daughter Angelica; Johannes Petrus Bijleveld and Mrs Adriana Bijleveld; Voldemar Eugen Bogdanovits and Mrs Tatjana Bogdanovits; Dirk Albert Johan Bosch; Richard Cannemeyer and Mrs Jacomina Cannemeyer; Peter Czerneyj and Mrs Maria Czerneyj; Herman Hendrick Dalman; Johannes Bernardus Gerardus Delis; Cornelus Antonius De Vries; Maciej Franciszek Dolega - Lewandowski; Albert Johan Huis and. Mrs Rozelie Huis and their children Aiko and Jill; Mrs Tamara Jankovskis and her daughter Ilze Inese; Mrs Adele Uschakov Lees; Boris Uschakov Lees; Gerald Ronald Lowbrey: Mrs Maria Moore; George Pana; Mrs Maria Catharina Pepperell; Jan Antoon Gerard Pynenburg and Mrs Elizabeth Maria Cornelia Pynenburg; Mrs Elso Prussas; David Guy Sarfati; Georg Schulze and Mrs Anna Schulze; Maria Johann Joseph Schurgers; Hans Smit; Jaroslav. Tesar; Simon Tump and Mrs Maria Catharina Tump; Arie Jakob van den Berg: Comelis Johannes van der Hoven; Hendrik Nicolaas van der Kolk and Mrs Elizabeth Cornelia van der Kolk; Theodoras Johannes van der Kroon; John Peter van Herpt and Mrs Margaret Joan van Herpt; Diderik Hendrik van Tongeren; Leendert van Weesel; Thomas Cornells Vink and Mrs Wilhelmina Jacoba Vink; William Henry Vink and Mrs Hubertha Helena Vink: Jacob Voogt; Enn Voot and Mrs Margarita Voot and their son Jaan; Comelis Jan Wagener; Jozef Waszczak: Hendrikus Johannes Werie; Mrs Yvonne Antoinette Whitson; and Yee Wee Kwun.