New Zealand Chinese Misson

The Story of The New Zealand Chinese Mission
1867 to 1952
The title image portrays Tang Yin Ling of Horseflat, Macraes, Central Otago, returning home after collecting his supplies. Photograph by Rev Alexander Don, c.1900-01.
The Beginning :
From the middle of the 19th century, civil and foreign instigated wars as well as a consequent economic downturn, particularly in the southern Provinces, led countless thousands of Chinese nationals to leave their homeland in search of more profitable work and relative safety overseas. The discovery of gold in Otago, New Zealand in the 1860's brought a veritable rush of Chinese immigrants here. The men came alone leaving behind wives and children. Not one of these men intended to remain in New Zealand, they did not view themselves as colonists. Their hearts were always 'at home' where they planned to return when fortune smiled upon them, in life if not also in death. The Chinese went to considerable lengths to bury their dead in the land of their birth.
Chinese communities sprang up quickly on the various goldfields firstly in Otago and later spreading to other South Island fields. They tended to group together in their own communities, characterized by their almost windowless huts made of stones or turf, generally with thatch or sacks for roofs. The Chinese were industrious and hard working, and to the European extremely superstitious. The attitude of their European neighbours was generally one of prejudism and mistrust. The culture of the Chinese with their own customs and language, unique style of clothing and the obligatory long kues (pony tails) was in stark contrast to their own.

http://www.archives.presbyterian.org.nz/missions/nzchinesehistory.htm