TAX DODGERS TAKEN TO TASK

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14637, 5 April 1948, Page 4

TAX DODGERS TAKEN TO TASK

TWO NATIONAL SPORTS Parallel With Horse Racing Fabulous Sums Denied Authorities It has been said that we have two national sports —horse racing and tax dodging—and I wonder which of the two claims the greater following, writes “Texas” in The Accountants’ Journal. I have no very strong feeling against horse racing. Whatever its morals and the eternal question of whether anybody has ever .made money at it in the long run, horse racing is at least a lawful pursuit. (Perhaps the money involved is unimportant to some people—after all, racing is a “sport.”) Tax dodging, the other “sport” above referred to, is of course another matter; obviously it is no more defensible (though it may appear less barefaced) than forcing an. entry into, say, the Chief Post Office, blowing up the safe and absconding with the proceeds. Yet, it is astounding how widespread it seems to be, and in what unexpected quarters it is practised.

Citizens otherwise honest and honourable in their dealings with their fellows may be quite the reverse .when it comes to rendering their taxation returns. If they are successful in thus defrauding the Government they often boast quite openly about it to their friends and, no doubt, feel delightfully wicked about the whole business.

What epic tales are swapped (just about six) about “tickling • the peter,” “the something Walter does not know about” and others, all interspersed with knowing winks and hallowed by the hint that “everybody else does it anyway.” Tax dodgers feel a slight guilt, no doubt, and that is probably why they boast about it; the burden seems less heavy if somebody, else (who will not tell) knows about it. They would not boast if they did not dodge. But nowadays it is talked about and boasted about in such a shameless way as to suggest that the practice is fast becoming an established usage. Fabulous sums of money must be denied the taxation authorities in consequence. It would be interesting to know how much the basic rate of tax could be reduced ,: if dodging was stopped.