Poll Tax

Parliament passed the Chinese Immigrants Act on 5 July 1881^[1] which created a ‘poll tax’ of £10 (equivalent to nearly $1700 in 2017 terms) to be imposed on Chinese migrants and restricted the number allowed to land from each ship arriving in New Zealand: Only one Chinese passenger was allowed for every 10 tons of cargo.^[2]^[3]

FL17177274 — Archives New Zealand. (2018). Ng, Soon Wah (Born at Sheung Jack) - Age 27 - Arrived aboard Tahiti - Certificate issued in Wellington 23 June 1924 - Paid £100. Retrieved 20 November 2018, from http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE17177232

Archives New Zealand holds records of some of the "Entry Butts" for Chinese immigrants arriving in New Zealand. ^[4]

In 1896 this was changed to one passenger for every 200 tons, and the tax was increased to £100 (nearly $19,000 in 2017 terms).^[2]^[3]

These measures were supported by organisations opposed to Chinese immigration during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the Anti-Chinese Association, the Anti-Chinese League, the Anti-Asiatic League and the White New Zealand League.^[2]

On 15 December 1944 The Finance Act (No. 3) abolished the poll tax when it was officially repealed^[5] (although the Poll Tax had been waived by the Minister of Customs in 1934)^[5], the Minister of Finance Walter Nash described the Poll Tax as a ‘blot on our legislation’.^[5] By this time other countries had abandoned Poll taxes for Chinese.^[5]

Other ways in which Chinese were discriminated against included:

From 1907 all arrivals were required to sit an English reading test.^[3]^[5]
From 1908 Chinese who wished to leave the country temporarily needed re-entry permits, which were thumb-printed.^[3]^[5]
The ability of Chinese to become British citizens in New Zealand through naturalisation was prevented between 1908 and 1951^[3]
From 1926 permanent residency was denied to Chinese.^[3]^[5]
Until 1936 Chinese were denied the old-age pension.^[3]^[5]

In 2002 the New Zealand government officially apologised to the Chinese community for the suffering caused and the injustice of the tax,^[5] although controversially this was delivered in English and Mandarin.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] It wasn't until 21 years later, in 2023 that the apology was finally delivered in Cantonese.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]