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Evening Star, Issue 16559, 19 October 1917, Page 8

A protest against tho imposition of the bachelor tax has been received by the Federal Treasurer from Archbishop Mannix (Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne), Dr R. W. Spence (Archbishop of Adelaide), and Bishop M'Carthy (Bishop of Bendigo). The latter embodies the arguments used by Br Mannix in a speech recently. " Whatever may have been the intention of those who have, had recourse to this expedient for raising money, it is manifest," the communication adds, "it would impose a very unequal and a very iniquitous burden upon that class of citizens who have bound themselves by religious obligations to a celibate life, and that for the purpose of giving their services in fuller measures in churches, in schools, in orphanages, and in other charitable institutions for the good of the community generally. We recognise also the hardship and injustice which this new law would impose upon many of the clergy of the non-Catholic denominations and upon laymen, many of whom would bo mulcted without any reference whatever to their ability to pay the tax. In their name also we protest against the bachelor tax, and appeal, even at this hour, for such remedy as may now be possible."