New Zealand welcomes its oldest immigrant

More proof that New Zealand is a destination for the young and old.

The country has just welcomed its newest and oldest immigrant - 102 year old Eric King-Turner.

Mr King-Turner and his New Zealand born wife Doris, 88, arrived in Wellington in style on board the cruise liner The Saga Rose.

Mr King-Turner said he wouldn't have missed his early morning view of Wellington harbour "for all the tea in China".

"I'm delighted to be here. My wife lived with me for 13 years in Britain so I thought she might be getting homesick."

He may have a few years on the clock but Mr King Turner says he intends to indulge his passion for fly fishing but he also enjoys cricket, has a great interest in learning and according to his step-daughter Gabrielle King-Turner he fits in anywhere.

Mr King-Turner will set up a new home in his wife’s hometown of Nelson.

Mr King-Turner was Surgeon Commander on the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable during World War 2 and helped to save New Zealand soldiers. Before he left Britain Mr King-Turner told the Daily Mail newspaper he liked New Zealand because it was not as crowded as Britain and "the weather is certainly better".

"I'm an Englishman through and through and there will be things I miss such as my friends but New Zealanders are very easy to get on with," he said.

"It's a wonderful new adventure and I would say to anyone that if you want to do something you should do it straight away while you can. What's important is that when I'm 105 I don't want to be thinking 'I wish I had moved to the other side of the world when I was 102'."

Mrs King-Turner met her husband, both widowed, while researching her ancestry. Despite sharing the same last name they were not related but decided to meet anyway. The couple toured New Zealand together for two weeks when they realised they were in love and decided to marry.