RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS IN FRANCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4296, 4 March 1901, Page 7

RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS IN FRANCE.

The Religions Associations Bill on which the French Premier (M. Waldeck-Eous-eeau) last month said his Ministry would stand or fall, and which ultimately passed, is a measure for bringing religions associations under more effective control. With a view to the debate upon it, statistics have been collected as to the value of real estate in France owned by monastic orders. These show that, including lands upon which monks and nuns openly pay rates and lands which are nominally hold ! by private persons, but which the Director of Inland Revenue is morally certain belong to the religious communities, the total coming under the category is something like on.e hundred and twenty mill ion sterling. The Jesuits own real estate o? the value of two millions, of which' ovly. four thousand is held in their own name. The Assumptionists have ,£120,000 worth of land, the ynsscssior. of which is unacknowledged. The Christian Brothers, it is said, are comparatively straight and pay rates and taxes on one million sterling and evade these imposts on a million and a half sterling. The nuns of St Vincent de Paul confess to owning real estate worth ,£BOO,OOO. and it is believed really possess about twice as much. The fatal number of religious bouses in France is out down at 3216. and of these 2718 have schools or orphanages associated with them.