ESCAPEES FROM TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9097, 4 July 1888, Page 3

ESCAPEES FROM TAXATION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, Among the oppressions of taxation to which we are subject, none reach us so pointedly and convincingly as the property tax ; but to the administrators of a Government it has points to recommend it. The matter to be taxed is. there, and not involved in supposition, and most kinds of property are incapable of that concealment which are found difficult to detect in an income tax. But an increase of the property tax, most persons— who own property—find very objectionable, and the step which was taken by the Government to increase the valuations, is found equally objectionable. After the last Government valuation many holders of property were, no doubt, pleased to find that their properties had risen so much in value, and that they themselves, as colonists, were estimated by the Government to be worth so much. But they feel differently now, when in many instances they find their properties would not realise naif the- amounts the Government in its valuation set on them. « , .

When -we are oppressed with depression and taxation as we now are, protective jealousy makes vis look round and see that none escape taxation, that all bear the State burdens. In looking round, I find there is a large congeries of wealth, influence, and power which escapes taxation—l mean the. churches. They pay no property tax, no borough rates, and on imported churcl furniture no Custom's duties. We may well ask our Government, our Legislature, and our borough councillors, How is this You axe all very short of means, many of you nearly ' bankrupt, yet not a voice is . raised amongst you to demand that the ' property of churches be included in the taxation roll, as the property of other institutions is. What nave our Government, our legislators, and our . municipal councillors to say in their defence ? Have they proved faithful !t® the duties for which thoy were appointed ? - Is it out of love, or special favour, that they have allowed Church property to esciupe taxation? They should recollect they are in positions which prohibit the extension of favours. Is it because they are themselves members of churches, and to tax churches would mean taxing themselves? If so, the same. reason would apply to their holding any other property, and would exclude from representing us all persons who held property. Is itl>ecause they are so afraid of the churches that not one of them has the courage to invade the immunity from taxation churches ' have bo long enjoyed. The amount of church property in the colony is not even known. I once asked an M.H.R. to move for a return of the church property in the colony, and its value; but he experienced some difficulty that session, and the return was nob obtained. But church property no doubb values millions, and our legislators allow ib to escape taxation.. In this city it values hundreds of thousands, and our City Councillors ask no rates from it. They would rather turn off the city lamps at midnight) because of our poverty, than ask the churches to pay rates. Churches have neither moral nor religious consistency in this matter. The time was when one church would not have accepted a boon from a Government or borough which gave a similar boon to another church, but now the churches only care to see the plunder equally divided.

There is another view of this question. The State and boroughs in allowing churches exemption from taxation,"^e' giving State aid, or borough aid, to churches, and maintaining that nefarious compact • which, to the disgrace of churches and religion, has so long existed between Church and State. The terms of this compact are, if the State stands by the Church the Church will stand by the State. The Church is as great & loser as the State by accepting an exemption from taxes, or any bene; it from the State. The State loses the monetary taxation it might have collected, and some portion of its freedom and independence; but the Church loses the vitality it might have developed from within itself. Churches and religions are always most healthy and most religious when they trust to their own energy, the truth of their cause, and the earnestness and efforts of their members but when they cesise to do that, and live by State aid, or other outside help, they cease also to be earnest, truthful, and religious, and become mere crafty traffickers for secular goods. I hope our borough councillors and our legislature will early consider their conduct in allowing the State and boroughs to be defrauded of the taxes which might have been collected from church property, and that they will soon take the necessary steps to place church property on the same status as all other property.—l am, &c,, July 3, 1888. A. Campbell.