TAX THE COLLEGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 March 1939, Page 9

TAX THE COLLEGES

"UNFAIR IMMUNITY.” LONDON, February 4. Should Oxford and Cambridge colleges pay income tax and estate duties on the land they own? Claming that the immunity from taxation enjoyed by the colleges gives them unfair advantages, English farmers are calling' for an end to be put. to the privileges. Their ‘Tax the Colleges” campaign is expected to reach I’arliament next session, when questions arc to be asked. The colleges are among the lawest 'andowners in Britain. Latest figures showed, that Oxford owned 179.009 acres in 47 counties, and Cam-iv,-i4--e. ng 900 acres in 39 counties. They are constantly selling at a i,,rve profit land in developing areas. 5 + tims iirtv ou.• ms equal "portion-; of land elsewhere,, and anv taxpaying farmer or otiim' private

r.erson who wants the same land is at an obvious disadvantage in bidding p"a.inst them. The colleges are exempted from taxation because tn© Government regards them as char.tie.-,. As corporate bodies, which «ever die, they pav no estate duties. The oidin-m-y owner-farmer or may have to pay up t 0 IKI ‘•" ami landowners make two , suggestions for the sweeping av.aj ol these privileges: — . di That the estates income or the colleges'should be subject to the sum© income tax as an ordinary taxpa/do pef r ' * p ~CD That they should be subject-to a jub'lee tax every 50 years a rough equivalent of death duties.