History of Immigration control in NZ

History of Immigration control in NZ Socialists say something quite different to what even liberal politicians say. We oppose all immigration control. That’s because immigration control is racist. For most of New Zealand’s history, "immigration" control has actually meant Chinese control. Cantonese migrants were first invited into the country in 1865 by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce to work in the gold mines. Only Chinese migrants had to pay a poll-tax of 100 pounds to enter NZ. At a time when the vast majority of immigrants were from the UK and Ireland, no such tax was put on them. This is blatant anti-Chinese racism. Many people know about the racism of Australian colonialism “White Australia has a black History,” but few people know about the White New Zealand immigration polices.
It is worth delving a bit into this history because it gives us an insight into how the immigration issue first came up and how we can combat racism today.
The history of what we now think of as NZ was established by one wave after another wave of immigration – Maori, Irish, Scottish, English, Pacific Islanders, Asian and so on. NZ was secured by Britain for two specific reasons. To keep expanding the British empire and to provide a base in the South Pacific (to keep it away from the rivaling French). But crucially to get rid of surplus workers in the face of massive economic downturn in the mid 1800s, by promising workers that they will get the chance of a new life and independence through land in NZ.
http://www.iso.org.nz/resources/talks/immigration.htm