During a short stay in Dunedin Hospital, Scottish-born Mr McIntosh, 76, and his daughter filled out some New Zealand citizenship paperwork.
He thought ‘‘it was the drugs’’ that helped make his mind up.
‘‘I don’t know, I just sort of, I don’t know why, sometimes you just do things ... you know?’’
Mr McIntosh’s British passport expired in 2016. He figured he should probably have a current passport, so why not a New Zealand passport?
‘‘I probably should have just updated my British passport; that’s most likely the more sensible thing to do, but I thought maybe this is for the better.’’
Mr McIntosh and his family emigrated from Scotland in 1952 and initially made their way to Tasmania aboard RMS Cameronia.
His dad was working in Bronte Park, a place ‘‘right smack in the middle of Tasmania’’.
Less than three years later, the McIntoshes found themselves in Ashburton, New Zealand.
When Mr McIntosh turned 23, he got a job as a salesman.
When the company started handing out postings for where staff would be sent to sell, he desperately wanted to be sent to the Rodney district north of Auckland.
‘‘I didn’t like it. I was no good at it and I gave up the job straight away.’’
Despite being sent to the city for the ill-fated job, he still stayed.
‘‘I don’t know, I just ended up staying — just met a lot of really good friends.
‘‘Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason. I didn’t intend to come here, but I did and I stayed.’’
Becoming a New Zealand citizen was a ‘‘good’’ feeling for Mr McIntosh. However, he did wish he was brave enough to have worn a kilt.
To celebrate, he headed home to have a ham sandwich.
His next job was to get a New Zealand passport and head off for a visit to his birthplace.
‘‘I haven’t been back to Scotland. My daughter’s been and so has my sister, everybody has — so I’ve put it off for too long.’’
New citizens: Yamama Ahmad Al Naes, Syria; Omar Ahmad Al Naes, Syria; Yosra Jasem Al Naes, Syria; Alzira Sonia Valerie Alaniz, France; Diego Alejandro Alvarez, Argentina; Colleen Alexandra Atwood, United States; Fatemeh Azimi, Iran; Amir Mohammad Azimi, Iran; Zeinab Azimi, Iran; Ali Madad Azimi, Iran; Mahdi Azimi, Iran; Zakia Ramezan, Afghanistan; Chloe Beach, South Africa; Aisling Byrne, Ireland; Sean O’Brien, Ireland; Daniel Christopher Campbell, United Kingdom; Rhodora Lintag Castillo, Philippines; Jessie Go Castillo, Philippines; Sana Atithi Chamoli, India; Alok Chander, India; Catherine Judith Coffey, Canada; Marilyn Joan Murphy, Canada; Marianne Joy Roxas Cortez, Philippines; Julian Michael Cortez, Philippines; Mariska Munro Du Preez, South Africa; Helene Marie Eunson, France; Roberto Piero Ghidella, Italy; Philipp Anton Ludwig Governale, Germany; Susan Grace Harris, US; Lara Luise Hartmann, Germany; Moli Iosefo Muaimalae, Samoa; Rubandass Jhondass, India; Eric Joanisse, Canada; Jismy Jose, India; Kopatiola Kaati Fakaola He Lotu Kata, Australia; Geoffrey Nelson Kern, US; Sagar Khemani, India; Christine Avis Joan Kinley, Australia; Naveen Kumar, India; Rajni, India; Shangyu Luan, China; Soumya Mathew, India; Savio Tom Siji, India; Siji Thomas, India; John McIntosh, Scotland; John Mark Milnes, England; Robert Nicolai, Hong Kong; Michelle Lois Nicolai, South Africa; Antoinette Patricia O’Flanagan, Ireland; Eveline Oostdam, Netherlands; Nothburga Maria Hedwig Tamara Prime, Germany; Edna Irene Ang San Jose, Philippines; Saia Fili Sefona’a, Tonga; Wajid Ismail Sheikh, India; Rob Riddell Tigeir, Scotland; Karen Lisa Tunley, South Africa; Simone Van Coller, South Africa; Aiva-Dane Van Coller, South Africa; Alexi Van Coller, South Africa; Angelique Jo-Ann Van Zyl, South Africa; Jennifer Jane Vind, UK; James Michael David Vind, UK; Chantong Yang, China.
