Chiu Kwok-chun

Chiu Kwok-chun (1884 – 17 April 1957) was a New Zealand journalist, political reformer, newspaper editor, Baptist missioner and community leader. He was born in Guangdong Province, China in 1884.

Early life and education Chiu Kwok-chun was born in Liantang, Gaoyao district, Guangdong province in the Qing dynasty in 1884 to a meat merchant, Chiu Pan-sing, and his wife Shen See. He was born as the third of four sons. As a young child, Chiu received traditional Chinese education before going on to study in Guangzhou.

Career

In China and Australia Chiu had converted to Christianity before he became a teacher at the Piu Ching Baptist middle school in Guangzhou. During this time, the Qing dynasty's control over China weakened and Chiu joined the Tongmenghui. Due to his skill in writing and his devotion to republicanism, he was recruited by the Kuomintang to edit its newspaper, Chinese Republic News, in Sydney, Australia. In September 1913, with help from the Kuomintang, he arrived in Sydney after being exempted from anti-Chinese immigration laws. As a writer, Chiu attacked the President of China, Yuan Shikai, calling him authoritarian. Chiu also called for a new revolution to overthrow Yuan. However, his writings angered pro-Yuan supporters in the Chinese community of Sydney, which led to Chiu being deported by Australian immigration authorities. and two daughters together. When he left China for Australia, Leong Moo-kwong stayed back in China. Chiu would return to China to stay with his family from 1919 to February 1921. Following his establishment of the Baptist Chinese language school in 1933, Chiu got his eldest son, Chiu Man-chung, to come to New Zealand. He also organised for his wife to come to New Zealand in 1940.

In 1946, he suffered a severe accident, which he took a long time to recover from. He died in Wellington on 17 April 1957. He was survived by his wife, all his children, and his 17 grandchildren.