SURTAX EVADED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21113, 5 June 1943, Page 4

SURTAX EVADED

Archbishop s scheme reference in commons *" •• '— -STIPEND £4250 A YEAR Ill'S®- 1 ' ' f 1 (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, Juno 3. An, arrangement between the ecclesiastical commissioners and the Archbishop of York for the avoidance ;of surtax on the archbishop’s income • was • mentioned by Sir Herbert Wil- ■ liams in the House of Commons. He was speaking during a discussion on the Finance Bill, an amendment to which had been moved to exempt from iricdme 4 tax the first '£so of Easter offering to clergy. Mr. Williams said that there were a dozen'methods of getting 'round the - cliffidijllty. It was possible for a piece 'or jewellery to be given to a vicar’s wife and brought back with the Easter 'offerings', or for payment to be made ttf'.'a vicar in groceries, “or lie can do as the Archbishop of York, who lias, a stipend of £9OOO, has done. The afchbishpp. entered into a 'perfectly splendid arrangement with the ecclesiastical commissioners for them to'pay the whole of the maintenance of his office and repair his castle. (“The archbishop in future is to receive a, Stipend of £4250 a year, subject- to taxation. The archbishop and ’the'commissioners entered into delightifA pfocedure for the avoidance of surtax.; Ido not blame him. I think it'’perfectly honourable, but it infringes 1 the moral principles of the Finance Act. I hope it will temper some' speeches which the archbishop makes on the behaviour of other people on economic and financial matters.’’ The House of Commons rejected the amendment. A number of speakers maintained that a more sensible . mind'd' oflmproving clergymen’s positions'was to increase stipends, which tb'efehurch - authorities .• were trying to 'do. ‘ ‘ ’