CHURCH PROPERTY AND TAXES

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 52, 30 August 1917, Page 2

CHURCH PROPERTY AND TAXES

SURPRISE EXPRESSED,

(M TBLEeFUPH.—SPECIAL TO IHJ POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. The Government's proposal to remove the exemption from the land tax hitherto enjoyed by land utilised exclusively for religious or charitable purposes has beenreceived in Auckland with surprise. Dr. Averill, the Anglican biahop, when asked for his opinion yesterday, remarked that the Government's decision was rather a blow, considering that, the various Anglican Church Trusts administered in the Auckland diocese were endeavouring to invest a sum of about £12,000 in the War Loan. "A very large part of the income of the Maori and Melanesian Missions, St. John's College, and various Maori schools," he added, "comes from endowments; in some cases, almost the whole. We do not know at present how the tax will affect us, but it is certain to be a handicap upon our work. Most of the lands we hold are held for the benefit of the Church throughout the Dominion, and the whole of the income from them is needed for mission and other work. I do not think thai we shall make any protest," said Dr. Averill. " The Government has decided it, and we must do our bit, though the tax will be a handicap upon us." The Rev. Father Holbrook, Chancellor of the Auckland Roman Catholic diocese, stated that he was surprised at the Government's new move, which really imposed a tax on education and charity— almost the last things that should be taxed. All the lands of the Catholic Churches in New Zealand were held for the benefit of the people, and probably the same could be said of the lands owned by all other religious bodies. Nearly the whole of them consisted of church, school, and orphanage sites and endowment lands, the income from which was used in the cause of education. There was no question of profit, and the imposition of the tax would simply mean that the operations must be curtailed. "The. Government," he added, "is allowing us the same rate per capita for children in our orphanages as it allowed in the year 1882, although the prices of commodities have gone up greatly since then, and especially since the war. If we are taxed I see no way out of it but to apply to the Government for increased grants."