Chinanews.com, February 15th. According to a report compiled by New Zealand Chinese Herald.com, on the evening of February 13th, the New Zealand government once again apologized to the Chinese community for a discriminatory tax policy imposed 142 years ago-the settlement affected by it at that time Sorry for the language of the author, which is Cantonese.

　　In 2002, under former prime minister Helen Clark, the government formally apologized to the early Chinese community for imposing a "poll tax" through the Chinese Immigrants Act.

　　In the history of New Zealand, Chinese immigrants were once the only ethnic group that had to pay poll tax.

It was set at £10 in 1881 and raised to £100 in 1896, which was higher than the average annual salary at that time.

In today's money, £100 is about $23,000.

　　However, the 2002 apology was delivered in English and Mandarin, which was not spoken by the early Chinese settlers.

　　The evening's event, held in the Hive Ballroom, was also attended by Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, Speaker of Parliament Adrian Rurawhe and Labor MP Naisi Chen.

　　Community elder Esther Fung, representing the New Zealand Chinese Association, said she was relieved that the apology was given in Cantonese during official government events.

　　"This is a legitimate acknowledgment of those who paid the poll tax. If they were alive, they would understand the words 'in their own language' and would therefore be able to fully accept the apology. It is worth noting that posterity and other discrimination are included in the apology Sexual regulation. It’s important for us today and in the future.”

　　Her great-grandparents both paid poll taxes, which Fung believes are "law-imposed discrimination".

　　She said that in 2002, many senior citizens who paid the head tax could not understand the Mandarin version of the apology.

Sadly, many of them have now passed away.

"It was a relief to hear the Cantonese version today."

　　Diversity, Inclusion and Minority Communities Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan said she understood the importance of language as "the link that connects one's heritage, history and identity".

　　Past laws, she said, were racist.

　　"While I know that the official apology in 2002 in English and Mandarin was welcomed by the Chinese community in New Zealand, I know that many of the early settlers affected by the poll tax and their descendants spoke Cantonese. The vast majority of them were from southern China region immigrated to New Zealand. As far as I know, some Chinese New Zealanders who were present at the 2002 apology could not fully understand either the English version or the Mandarin Chinese version."

　　She said many in the Cantonese-speaking community advocated apologizing in Cantonese.

　　“Today, that’s what we do. The apology will be officially published in Cantonese to value and respect those who were unfairly treated by the poll tax and their language.”

　　In the 2002 apology, the government also provided funding for the establishment of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust to support community initiatives to preserve New Zealand's Chinese customs and language.