A RATING QUESTION.

Southern Cross, Volume 18, Issue 10, 18 June 1910, Page 3

A RATING QUESTION.

A case affecting the rating of charitable institutions . was settled in Dunedin recently, when Mr Widdowson, S.M., had before him the adjourned action in which the Bay Town Board sued Bishop Verdon and the Little Sisters of the Poor on a claim of £39 8s 4d for rates on the home at Anderson's Bay. The defence made by Mr Callan was that the home was exempted as being' a charitable institution, but not an institution under the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, and not receiving any supsidy from public funds, but being carried on exclusively out of private benevolence for the free maintenance or relief of orphans or of the aged, infirm, sick or needy. Mr MacG-regor (for the Board) contended that as a portion of the funds of the institution consisted of old-age pensions money the clause on which Mr Callan relied did not apply. After hearing the evidence of the Rev. Father Copfey, and the Registrar of Old-Age Pensions, Mr Widdowson said that while he appreciated the excellent work the institution was doing, he had of course to construe the words of the statute, and he considered on the facts before him it could not be said that the institution was carried on exclusively out of private benevolence for the free maintenance or relief of the inmates, and therefore that it was not exempt from rates. He would give judgment for the plaintiff for the amount claimed £39 8s 4d, together with court costs £1 19s and solicitors' fee £2 2s, but he would like ta see the point settled by the Supreme Court.