EXEMPTION SOUGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 17

EXEMPTION SOUGHT.

HONORARIA OF CITY MAYORS. PAYMENT OF INCOME TAX. {By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The honoraria received by city mayors were mentioned by a deputation to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, from the executive of the Municipal Association to-day. Mr. J. O'Shea, Wellington city solicitor, suggested that the Government should exempt mayoral honoraria from the payment of income tax. The Minister observed that salaries of members of Parliament were not exempt. Mr. O'Shea: We have no objection to members of Parliament being put in the same position. One member of Parliament told me that "it cost him £1200 in subscriptions to be a member. The Minister: Quite likely. Mr. O'Shea said he also knew of the case of a mayor in receipt of an honorarium of £400 who spent £SOO in gifts. The deputation also asked that provision should be made for_ the payment of honoraria to chairmen of town boards. Mr. O'Shea added that the honorarium of a mayor could not exceed £500, and the sum had to be fixed from time to time by the local bodies. Some were generous and some were not. In his opinion, the honoraria of the mayors for the seven cities should be fixed by statute at £500, and in other cases a system of gradation according to population and ability to pay. The Minister said he agreed that men who gave their services to the community and who were not in strong financial positions were entitled to something reasonable. He would go thoroughly into°the matter to see what could be done.