SEAMEN'S ESTATES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1943, Page 3

SEAMEN'S ESTATES

DEATH DUTY EXEMPTION During discussion in the House of Representatives yesterday of a clause in the Finance Bill No. 3 granting exemption from death duties of estates of merchant seamen whose death is directly attributable to y the war, Mr. F. L. Frost (Government, New Plymouth) and Mr. C. G. E. Harker (National, Waipawa) asked why the provision should not apply to all merchant seamen instead of limiting it to those who die after the passing of the legislation.. The Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) said he thought the clause should apply to all seamen, but he was advised that it would be difficult to make it retrospective. The proposal was, however, that where the evidence was clear that the seaman had died directly as a result of the war an item should be placed on the estimates so that refunds of death duty could be made to meet such retrospective cases. He would look into the matter and if it was thought that the difficulty at present raised could be overcome some alteration would be made. Mr. Frost said that a case had come under his notice of a seaman whose death had occurred after the arrival of his ship at Malta. He hoped that it would be possible to overcome any technical difficulties. The Bill was passed by the Legislative Council last night but there also the suggestion was made that the exemption of merchant seamen's estates from death duties should apply in the case of all wartime deaths. The Leader of the Council (Mr. Wilson) said he would take the suggestion up an the proper quarter and see whether jit was advisable to amend the Bill. i ~No_ reP!y has been received from the Commissioner of Taxes to two letters asking if the Government intended m respect to land tax to follow the example of the Wellington City Council in remitting payment of rates on areas taken from private owners for the building of air-raid shelters, said the president, Mr. W. H. Hindle, at a meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last night. At his suggestion, it was decided to send a telegram to the Commissioner referring to the letters and asking for an early reply. The secretary, Mr. E. M. Bardsley, said that the amount involved did not run into thousands of pounds, but it was Worth "having a go" at. A member: "It is a matter of principle, too."