RATES UPON SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4837, 22 September 1876, Page 2

RATES UPON SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —The Bating Bill as amended by the Legislative Council exempts churches and chapels from rates, but submits to them school-buildings. If churches and chapels had to pay rates, irreligious as the measure would appear, there would be an equality of treatment for all; but to comprise school-buildings in the Bill becomes at once a palpable injustice against a religious community. Practically, how will things take place? All the religious bodies who have placed their schools under the Education Board will have nothing to pay, the Board will pay the rate for them with the public funds. The Catholics who for conscientious motives have parted with, in fact, have been rejected by the Board, will be exceptionally charged with the schoolhouse rate. They will be spoken to thus : You Catholics for the sake of your faith thought yourselves obliged to separate from the State schools; yet you must know that not only you will have to erect your schoolhouses, your convent schools, procure teachers and appliances for instruction at your sole expense, without receiving a single farthing to help you, but also you will be taxed for education like others, and you alone will be asked rates for school buildings. Who will not revolt against such language and such acts of iniquity? I hope that the Bill may be re-amended by the House of Representatives when it is again placed before them.—l am, &c., A Catholic.