Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister
Hon Chris Carter
Minister for Ethnic Affairs
Embargoed: 5pm, 11 February 2004
Media Statement
The Chinese Heritage Initiatives
New Zealand has been lauded as the first country in the world to apologise to its
ethnically Chinese citizens for discriminatory legislation specifically aimed at them or
their forebears. The worst of this legislation imposed a punitive Poll Tax on early
Chinese settlers.
The Government has announced a set of initiatives designed to support the apology,
and acknowledge the history and experience of the early-settler Chinese New Zealand
community.
The initiatives are substantially based on feedback received from consultation with the
early-settler Chinese community. That consultation established that Poll Tax payers and
their descendants were not seeking individual compensation, but they hoped for the
means to inform the wider public about the history, hardship and unique experience of
early Chinese New Zealanders. They also wanted some assistance for community
efforts to maintain culture, heritage and language.
The initiatives include activities identified by government departments and funding for a
community trust. Factors considered included relevance to Poll Tax payers and their
descendants, sustainability for future generations, and celebrating identity and history.
Activities within Government baselines
1 Departments have provided or agreed to provide the following activities from within
their baselines. The initiatives are directed at preserving the history of Chinese New
Zealanders and promoting awareness:
a) Ministry of Education, Chinese New Zealand history resources that support the
school curriculum
b) the National Library, an exhibition on the Poll Tax, launched on 10 July 2003
c) Archives New Zealand, an online exhibition on Chinese New Zealanders and a
“How to” guide to Chinese New Zealand family history records held by Archives
New Zealand
d) the Department of Internal Affairs, facilitating access to pre-1948 naturalisation
records
e) the Office of Ethnic Affairs, a reprint of the The Poll-tax in New Zealand by Nigel
Murphy, and online access to Poll Tax records have been provided
f) the Department of Conservation, preserving significant heritage sites relating to
early Chinese settlement in New Zealand
g) Department of Labour (New Zealand Immigration Service),
i) facilitating access to immigration-related records held by Archives New
Zealand for family history purposes, and
ii) monitoring the small number of immigration cases for family reunification
involving descendants of Poll Tax payers, which fall outside standard
policy provisions and are presented for consideration as exemptions to
policy.
2 The total cost of these government initiatives, including the cost of the consultation
and other support provided by OEA, is estimated at $420,000.
3 Note that some initiatives are already underway, for example, the National Library
exhibition was launched on 10 July 2003. It is this exhibition, which is being shown
(in a condensed form) at Auckland City Library.
The Trust
4 The second component of the package is Government funding of $5 million to
establish a community trust. The trust will be administered by the Department of
Internal Affairs.
5 The trust will provide sustainable and tangible support for maintaining the language,
culture and heritage of Chinese New Zealanders (in particular the early settler
community) for both the current and future generations.
6 The aim of the trust is to “strengthen the unique identity of Chinese New Zealanders
and their communities in New Zealand” and provide an independent focal point for
community endeavours.
7. It is intended that the trust will fund projects that:
 support language maintenance
 boost Chinese New Zealand history by encouraging research and community
initiatives such as oral histories and guides to family history
 promote greater public understanding of ethnic diversity and the contributions of
Chinese New Zealanders
 help build stronger communities by promoting arts and culture.
8. Although the emphasis would be on outcomes benefiting the early Chinese settler
community, the benefits would not be exclusive to them.
9. Establishment trustees will be appointed by the Minister for Ethnic Affairs.
Poll Tax Advisory Team Response
11 FEBRUARY 2004
GRAND HALL
PARLIAMENT,
NEW ZEALAND
Mr Speaker, Prime Minister Helen Clark, Ministers, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and
Gentlemen.
Agreement on and implementation of the Poll Tax reconciliation package by the
Government is an historic occasion for the Chinese community, which has been
established in New Zealand for more than 130 years.
I am honoured to act on behalf of the Poll Tax Advisory Team and the Poll Tax
descendants’ community to formally accept the Government’s reconciliation package
and to thank the Prime Minister and the Government for honouring our community by
addressing and resolving a long-felt injustice.
The goodwill of this Government towards its long-established Chinese community will
echo around the world. It will show that New Zealand is a nation that is not afraid to
address its past; that we are a nation that values its ethnic communities, in particular the
contributions of the long-established Chinese New Zealanders.
As New Zealanders, we are proud that, of the countries that have imposed similar taxes
on Chinese migrants, our country is the first to not only apologise, but also to back up
that apology with a package that is meaningful to our community.
The history of the Poll Tax is now quite well known, thanks to Nigel Murphy’s research
and publications, originally commissioned by the New Zealand Chinese Association in
1992 and published 1996.
Some of the personal histories of those affected by the heavy tax have been collected
and presented in the Poll Tax exhibition, originally set up at the National Library and
opening tonight in Auckland – and it is hoped – touring to other centres.
The Poll Tax was not just a heavy financial burden on early Chinese New Zealanders. It
also acted as a strong deterrent to the migration of Chinese women. (In fact, from 1925
the official policy was that Chinese women be prevented from migrating to New
Zealand.) These policies split and distorted the development of families and severely
limited the passing of culture from one generation to the next.
These policies contributed to, (but is not the sole cause of) the descendant community
effectively losing its heritage language – Cantonese - and with it, its cultural connections
and identity.
The injustice of the Poll Tax and other discriminatory legislation has already been
recognised by the Government in the Prime Minister’s apology in February 2002.
Since then over 1,000 descendants of poll-tax payers around the country have been
consulted, and the Poll Tax Advisory Team, drawn from descendants, has been working
with the Office of Ethnic Affairs, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, to
develop a reconciliation package based on those consultation results.
On behalf of the Poll Tax Advisory Team, I would like to thank all the officers of these
departments who from the beginning strived to truly understand the history and culture
of our community and then gave generously of their expertise, time and experience to
help shape the final package. Without their dedicated effort and support, this package
might well not have survived in its present form.
In the beginning some members of our community did not agree that any
Government action was required after the apology. For others; however, the apology
has stimulated discussion of community identity and a renewed interest in our history.
That is already a positive outcome.
It is recognised by the Government and the Poll Tax descendants that this reconciliation
package is not repayment of the Poll Tax collected. Nor is it even “settlement” of an
historic claim in the ordinary sense. It is however recognised by the Poll Tax Advisory
Team as a package that acknowledges the history of Chinese New Zealanders and in
particular the legislative discrimination that they were subjected to in the early days.
Through the resources for schools, and the National Library exhibition, New Zealanders
of all ethnic backgrounds will learn about this little-known chapter in our history. And
through the restoration of historic sites in Lawrence, Central Otago, our tangible history
will be preserved for all to see.
The package also acknowledges the seriousness of the cultural loss suffered by poll-tax
descendants by providing some financial resources that will support projects to restore
in some measure that loss.
The Poll Tax Advisory Team has resolved that the Trust funds will be used for
educational and community projects which enhance the culture and identity of the
descendant community, and its relationships with the wider New Zealand community
through promoting research, education and understanding, in memory of the original
Poll Tax payers and their contributions, hardships and sacrifices.
I am sure that the very practical and useful projects that flow from this will return the
Government’s investment many-fold in goodwill and understanding. This increased
understanding will strengthen the fabric of New Zealand’s multi-ethnic society, and
encourage greater respect for diversity. The package will also lead to stronger Chinese
communities, which in turn will lead to an even richer variety of contributions spanning
the arts, business and sports.
Yet our potential is not confined to the local scene. In a century in which the well-being
of New Zealand is inextricably linked with Asia, the community that Poll Tax was
specifically designed to exclude, still here after four or more generations and 20,000
strong, may yet prove to be one of New Zealand’s more valuable resources – planks to
build bridges for international trade and cultural exchange.
Prime Minister: with the Poll Tax reconciliation package agreed and in place tonight, the
descendant community can now move on to focus its energies even more positively and
fruitfully, certain in the knowledge that its members are now welcome in New Zealand
as citizens with full measures of rights and responsibilities.
Once again, on behalf of the descendant community, I thank the Government for the
reconciliation package, and pledge that we will faithfully apply the funds to the benefit of
New Zealand.
Ends
Chinese Heritage
Questions
Initiatives
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Frequently
Asked
How was the $5 million figure arrived at?
The sum of $5 million is the amount which would produce a viable income for the trust,
and which would be sufficient to realise the trust’s aims. At current interest rates, this
sum would generate gross income of $250,000 a year.
Will individual Poll Tax payers or descendants be directly compensated?
Individuals will not be compensated. During consultations there was a clear message
from the community that individual monetary compensation was neither appropriate nor
wanted. Future trustees of the trust will not be paid.
Who will administer the trust?
The trust will most likely be administered by the Department of Internal Affairs which
also administers similar trusts such as the Peace and Disarmament Education Trust
and the Pacific Development Conservation Trust (both set up from funds paid by France
in 1988 to recognise events surrounding the Rainbow Warrior) and trusts like the New
Zealand Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust.
Has the trust been set up?
The trust has not yet been set up. Following the announcement, the trust deed will be
agreed in consultation with the Poll Tax advisory team (who are all descendants of Poll
Tax payers), which has helped develop the initiatives. The settlor of the trust deed is
the Minister for Ethnic Affairs.
How will the trustees be appointed?
The seven establishment trustees will be appointed by the Minister for Ethnic Affairs,
Chris Carter, on the advice of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the
Office of Ethnic Affairs. Thereafter, the Minister will appoint trustees within a timeframe
determined by the trust deed.
What sort of projects will be funded by the trust?
Although the trust deed has not yet been finalised, the principles of the trust have
already been agreed by Cabinet and supported by the Poll Tax advisory team. The
principles are based on the results of the nationwide community consultations.
It is intended that the trust will fund projects that:
 support language maintenance
 boost Chinese New Zealand history by encouraging research and community
initiatives such as oral histories and guides to family history
 promote greater public understanding of ethnic diversity and the contributions of
Chinese New Zealanders
 help build stronger communities by promoting arts and culture.
It will be the establishment trustees’ task to set up the specific criteria and processes for
making grants.
Who will benefit from the trust?
The purpose of the trust will be “to strengthen Chinese identity and communities in New
Zealand”. Although the emphasis would be on outcomes benefiting the early Chinese
settler community, the benefits would not be exclusive to them.
Will the trustees benefit?
The trustees will not be paid.
Background to the Chinese Heritage Initiatives
Formal apology
At the Chinese New Year celebration at Parliament on 12 February 2002, the Prime
Minister, Rt Hon Helen Clark formally apologised to those Chinese people who had paid
the Poll Tax and suffered other statutory discrimination, and to their descendants. She
also stated that the Minister for Ethnic Affairs and she had been authorised to pursue
with representatives of the families of the early settlers a form of reconciliation which
would be appropriate to and of benefit to the Chinese community.
She noted:
“I wish to announce today that the government has decided to make a formal apology
to those Chinese people who paid the Poll Tax and suffered other discrimination
imposed by statute and to their descendents.
With respect to the Poll Tax we recognise the considerable hardship it imposed and
that the cost of it and the impact of other discriminatory immigration practices split
families apart.
Today we also express our sorrow and regret that such practices were once
considered appropriate. While the governments which passed these laws acted in a
manner which was lawful at the time, their actions are seen by us today as
unacceptable. We believe this act of reconciliation is required to ensure that full
closure can be reached on this chapter in our nation’s history.”
Legislative discrimination
The Poll Tax apology was made based on research commissioned by the New Zealand
Chinese Association and the conclusion of the Chief Historian at the Ministry for Culture
and Heritage that, with the exception of Mäori, the Chinese were the only group
adversely affected by legislation that targeted them on the basis of their ethnic identity.
The following was outlined in the Prime Minister’s speech:
“In the late nineteenth century, the New Zealand Parliament passed discriminatory
laws against Chinese seeking to enter New Zealand. The Chinese Immigrants Act of
1881 imposed a Poll Tax of ten pounds per Chinese person and restricted the
numbers able to enter the country to one person per ten tonnes of ship cargo. In
1896 the tax was lifted to one hundred pounds per person and there were further
restrictions on the numbers of Chinese able to enter New Zealand.
No other ethnic group was subjected to such restrictions or to a Poll Tax. Other
legislative initiatives also singled out the Chinese.
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In 1908, Chinese people had to put a thumbprint on their Certificates of
Registration before leaving the country – no other ethnic group had to leave
thumbprints.
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Chinese people were deprived of their right to naturalisation in 1908 and this was
not rescinded until 1951. No other ethnic group was deprived of this right.

A reading test in English was introduced – other immigrants had only a writing
test in their own language.
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Even in 1935 when entry permits were introduced after a suspension of 15 years
for reunification of family and partners of Chinese people, they were severely
restricted.
There were those who spoke against the passing of the Poll Tax legislation. They
included journalists, members of the House of Representatives, and members of the
Legislative Council. Quotes from these people are on the displays here tonight.
Chinese people organised petitions against the Poll Tax, and one backed by the
great majority of Chinese residents was sent to the King via the Governor-General.
Many Chinese suffered the indignity of the Poll Tax and the other restrictions. Arrivals
in the port of Wellington between 1888 to 1930 numbered around 2,100 people. In
total, the estimated number who paid the poll tax between 1882 and 1930 was
4,500.”
Other areas of legislative discrimination included being barred from receiving social
welfare.

When the Old Age Pension Act was introduced in 1898 it specified that the
pension was not to be given to Chinese people - whether naturalised or not.
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A similar provision in the Family Allowances Act 1926 discriminated against
‘Asiatics’ by preventing pension payments to Asians (including Chinese).
The tax repealed
The Poll Tax was not abolished until 1944. The two influencing factors were the then
Labour government's policy of repealing all discriminatory laws against Chinese people,
and the events of the Second World War. China was an ally in the war against the
Japanese, and Chinese people had become "our brave allies".
At the time, the Minister of Finance, Walter Nash referred to the "removing of the blot on
our legislation" and affirmed that the government would not in future countenance any
discrimination against Chinese people in New Zealand.
Consultation on the Chinese Heritage Initiatives
Following the Prime Minister’s apology in 2002 and the offer of an additional gesture of
reconciliation, there was extensive consultation with the Poll Tax descendant
community.1
Just over 1,000 people attended the community meetings and 420 sent in written
submissions. The majority indicated that individual monetary compensation was not
sought, but that they wanted the means to inform the wider public about the history,
hardship and unique experience of the early Chinese New Zealanders. There was
significant support for the government to provide some assistance to community efforts
to maintain their culture, heritage and language.
A smaller proportion of people stated that they didn’t want the apology, or that the
apology was enough and nothing further was needed. These views were kept in mind
when the package was being developed.
An advisory team of community representatives (all Poll Tax descendants) was formed
to help review the consultation results and then to develop a proposal based on those
results, to put to Government. When assembling the team, care was taken to provide
even representation, where possible, across regions, group affiliations and counties of
origin.
The 31 Poll Tax advisory team members are:
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1
Ken Chan
Simon Chan
Allen Chang
Peter Chin
Mark Chiu
Tony Chuah
Esther Fung
Ron Hoy Fong
Jim Kan
Peter Kohing
Connie Kum
Maureen Leong
Arthur Loo
Andrea Loo
Kai Luey
Masen Ma
James Ng
Debbie Sew Hoy
George Sue
Wellington
Christchurch
Wellington
Dunedin
Wellington
Auckland
Wellington
Auckland
Palmerston North
Wellington
Auckland
Hamilton
Auckland
Auckland (previously Dunedin)
Auckland
Christchurch
Dunedin
Auckland
Levin
The Poll Tax descendant community is a culturally distinctive group that is different from Chinese new migrants.
This early settler Chinese community comprises poll-tax payers, their descendants and close family members who
were reunited with their families after WWII. From 1866-1960 the Chinese New Zealand community was
homogenous, linked by complex family and village networks, and united by common New Zealand experience. The
vast majority of early settlers came from Guangdong (Canton) province.
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Tony Thackery
David Wong
Mike Wong
Leslie Wong
Geoff Wong
Nancy Wong
Harvey Wu
Brian Young
David Young
Ken Young
Melissa Young
Steven Young
Palmerston North
Auckland
Napier
Dunedin
Wellington
Christchurch
Wellington
Napier
Levin
Pukekohe
Hamilton
Wellington
Full biographies of advisory team members are available on the OEA website
www.ethnicaffairs.govt.nz
Poll Tax Descendant (Early Settler) Community: Key Facts
Community dates back to: 1866
Population:
ca 18,000 in 2003 (total NZ Chinese population 2003:
105,000)
Fewer than 5,000 between 1867-1945. Did not exceed
10,000 till 1966
Place of origin in China:
Three main areas of Guangdong Province (Canton): Seyip
(Four Counties); Poon Yu and Fah Yuen counties; Jung
Seng and Tung Goon counties
Heritage language:
Cantonese (Yue, Guangdong hua)
Traditional occupations:
Culture:
Goldmining (19th century), Laundries, Market gardening
(over half until WWII), Fruitshops/greengrocers
The Poll Tax descendant community is the early settler Chinese
community, comprising Poll Tax payers, their descendants and close
family members who were reunited with their families after WWII. From
1866-1960 the Chinese New Zealand community was homogenous, linked
by complex family and village networks, and united by common New
Zealand experience. The vast majority of early settlers came from
Guangdong (Canton) province.
The Poll Tax descendant community has a uniquely Chinese New
Zealand culture. It strongly identifies with its New Zealand history (many
are now 5th generation New Zealanders and over), and its culture has
been greatly influenced by the experience of living in New Zealand and
being Chinese. When referring to history, culture and language, the
community is particularly referring to its New Zealand history, traditional
Chinese culture as well as Chinese New Zealand culture, and its heritage
language Cantonese (as distinct from China’s official language,
Mandarin).
The culture of the early settler community is very different from the
cultures and customs of newer Chinese migrants.
Poll Tax - Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Poll Tax?
The Poll Tax was an entry tax that was imposed on Chinese immigrants to deter them
from entering New Zealand.
When was it imposed?
In 1881 under the Chinese Immigrants Act 1881.
Who paid it?
All Chinese immigrants to New Zealand had to pay the Poll Tax.
Did anyone else pay it?
No one else had to pay a Poll Tax to enter New Zealand.
Why was it imposed?
The Poll Tax was imposed to restrict Chinese immigration to New Zealand. New
Zealand wanted to totally exclude Chinese from New Zealand but Britain would not
allow this to occur due to the Treaty of Nanjing. The compromise solution was a Poll
Tax.
How much was it?
When it was imposed in 1881 it was 10 pounds per person. In 1896 it was raised to 100
pounds per person, equivalent to around six or more years’ earnings for the average
Chinese person.
How much was paid in total?
Approximately 308,080 pounds was paid by Chinese immigrants during the time the tax
was enforced. New Zealand Chinese Association figures estimate this to be about $2530 million in today’s terms.
How many Chinese people paid it?
It's been estimated that around 4,500 Chinese people paid the tax.
When was it abolished?
Payment of the tax was waived by the Government in 1934. The Poll Tax was officially
repealed in 1944.
Why was it abolished?
For two main reasons, the first being the then Labour government's policy of repealing
all discriminatory laws against Chinese people. The second was the Second World War.
Because China was an ally in the war against the Japanese, Chinese people became
"our brave allies".
Did any other countries have a poll tax?
Two other countries had poll taxes, both of which were colonies of Great Britain. From
1855 Australia's six colonies imposed a number of poll taxes on Chinese people. The
last Australian poll tax was repealed in 1903, following the federation of the colonies in
1901. Canada imposed a poll tax on Chinese immigrants between 1885 and 1923.
What other statutory discrimination was there?
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The Old-age Pensions Act 1898 discriminated against 'Asiatics' by preventing
pension payments to Asians (including Chinese).

In 1908 Chinese people, including infants, were required to leave a thumbprint on
their "Certificate of Registration" before leaving the country. No other ethnic
group was required to leave a thumbprint.

In 1908 Chinese people were deprived of the right to naturalisation. This was not
rescinded until 1951. The first Chinese became naturalised in 1952. No other
ethnic group was deprived of this right. For example, in the period when Chinese
people were deprived of the right to naturalisation, some Asians, mostly from
India, were granted naturalisation.

In 1935 entry permits for reunification of family and partners of Chinese people
working in New Zealand were introduced, but restricted to 10 permits per year,
and to 15 per year in 1945. In 1939 temporary permits were granted to war
refugees of families of Chinese working in New Zealand. In 1947 the refugees
were granted permanent residence. In 1949 and in 1950 fifty Chinese people
who had been here for over 20 years were able to apply for their families to join
them.