Hastings will welcome 25 new New Zealanders at a citizenship ceremony to be held on Wednesday February 1st, 2012, from 6 pm in the Te Aranga Marae, 18 Boston Crescent, Flaxmere.

The candidates’ nationalities are as follows:

South African 1
British 3
Swiss 4
Samoan 9
American 2
Indian 1
Zimbabwean 2
United States National/
Samoan 1
Malaysian 2

A Kaumatua will welcome those present on behalf of tangata whenua.

Hastings District Council Councillors will present each candidate with a kowhai tree to symbolise “putting down roots”.