FORTY YEARS A PRIEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19860, 2 February 1928, Page 12

FORTY YEARS A PRIEST.

FATHER SMIERS' RECORD. LONG SERVICE IN COUNTRY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] OPOTIKI. Wednesday. Father Smiers, parish priest at Opotiki, celebrates to-morrow the 40th anniversary of his ordination. On Sunday Father Smiers celebrates his 72nd birthday. He was born in Holland in 1856, and was ordained priest on February 2, 1888, at Salford, England, by the late Bishop of Salford, Monsignor Vaughan, afterwards Cardinal Vaughan, who was also founder of Mill Hill Mission House. Father Smiers came shortly afterwards to New Zealand by the steamer Tongariro, his first charge being Matata, where he stayed 11 months. Then he went to the Waihi-Taupo district, being the first priest appointed there. He was there for seven years, his work being among the Maoris. After relieving at Puhoi for a year, Father Smiers was appointed the first priest in charge of Whangarei, which at that time had a population of only 700. For 14 years he worked the whole of the Kaipara district. For two years Father Smiers was chaplain at Sacred Heart College, being appointed to Opotiki in 1913. Father Smiers has been responsible for the building of churches in Wailii, Taupo, Maungakaramea and Te Kopuru, Northern Wairoa., the presbytery, convent and school at Whangarei, and the school at Opotiki. His anniversaries are to be fittingly celebrated this week.