In 2002, the New Zealand government formally apologised to the early settler Chinese community for the actions of previous governments that imposed a poll tax on Chinese persons entering New Zealand and other discriminatory statutes.
紐西蘭政府在 2002 年向華人早期移民正式道歉,因為前政府向移民紐西蘭的華人課徵人頭稅,並頒佈過其他歧視性法令。
The New Zealand government established the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust in 2004 with $5 million as a gesture of reconciliation in support of the formal apology. The Trust is a gesture of goodwill to the poll tax payers, their descendants and future generations in recognition of the hardship caused by the poll tax and other discriminatory legislation.
紐西蘭政府在2004年成立500萬紐幣的「華人人頭稅遺產信託基金」,當作正式道歉以外的和解姿態。這筆信託基金是向人頭稅納稅人、他們的後代子孫所表達的一種善意,補償人頭稅和其他不公平法規對他們造成的痛苦。
The Trust aims to strengthen the unique identity of Chinese New Zealanders and their communities in New Zealand in recognition of the poll tax payers by:
- promoting the preservation of Chinese New Zealand history and awareness of the contributions of early Chinese settlers
- providing tangible support for Chinese New Zealand history, language and culture, particularly that of the early settler Chinese community
該信託基金旨在加強加紐西蘭華人和紐西蘭華人族群的獨特認同感,進而補償人頭稅的納稅人,具體做法包括:
- 提倡保存紐西蘭華人的歷史,並宣傳早期華人移民的貢獻
- 對紐西蘭華人歷史、語言和文化提供具體支持,尤其是早期華人移民社群
The eight trustees are all descendants of the original poll tax payers:
- Rodney Wong 黃华鈴 (Chairperson)
- Hector Wong 黃鐵克
- Denise Ng 伍玉萍
- David Wong 黄家興
- Eileen Ng 謝靄燕
- Deborah Sew Hoy 徐玉蓮
- Jennifer Too 朱余敬貞
- Lois Yee 余笑儀
The Trust promotes, but does not limit itself to, funding:
- learning and use of the Cantonese language
- awareness and understanding of the history of Chinese communities in New Zealand
- the recording and preserving of Chinese New Zealand history
- greater public understanding of ethnic diversity with particular emphasis on the contributions of Chinese New Zealanders
- Chinese arts and culture (including Chinese New Zealand creative and cultural expression).