The project shows a deep-seated respect for the history of Ross and the early settlers, who included the Chinese gold miners of the 1860s, said Lash, who also expressed gratitude to the Chinese community for supporting the project.
“The memorial is dedicated to all those Chinese pioneers before us who made this place their home,” said Steven Wong, president of the New Zealand Chinese History and Culture Association and chairman of the Federation of the Chinese Association of New Zealand.
Wong said his great grandfather came to New Zealand with his brother during the gold mining period in the 1860s, and that his family’s stories reflect the history of the West Coast gold rush in New Zealand, which prompted the creation of Ross Township in 1865.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 