Asian New Zealanders are still finding it hard to fit into Kiwi society, while one laughs at the notion Chinese buyers are responsible for rising Auckland property prices.

"We call ourselves bananas, because to us we are yellow on outside, white on inside with completely western values," Kai Luey said.

Mr Luey was born in Westport to immigrants who were forced to pay £100 to move to New Zealand.

The fee was only paid by Chinese immigrants.

"Old cartoons saying yellow peril could contaminate local citizens and that they are totally undesirable and we don't want them here," the 74-year-old said were some of the thoughts projected by "locals".

He said he now finds a "period of tolerance" before "gradually moving to acceptance".

Ben Cleland was born in Waiuku before now settling in Auckland city.

"I don't speak any other language other than English, to be honest I can probably say more words in Maori than I can say in Chinese," he said.

However, he says he still doesn't feel completely accepted.

"Just ‘cos I look different isn't it?"

He also laughs at how Asians are being blamed for rising house prices, despite new figures showing just three per cent of all New Zealand property buyers from January to March were foreigners.