FALSE TAX RETURNS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18015, 6 March 1924, Page 3

FALSE TAX RETURNS.

FARMER PINED £3OO. At the Magistrate's Court" yesterday, before. Mr W r yvern Wilson, fe.M., Sydney Hugh Gardiner (Mr K. G. Archer.) pleaded guilty to four charges of making false or negligent returns relative to his iucome.

Mr A. W. Brown, who represented the Income Tax Commissioner, 6aid the total deficiency over the four years was £697 12s 9d. Mr Archer said the defendant was a farmer and had not been educated in bookkeeping. He explained that the defendant had been careless.

Tho Magistrate remarked that tho carelessness had been in his favour.

Counsel asked liis WorsJiip to make the penalty light, as he understood the Commissioner had power to treble the duty. The Magistrate said that in his opinion the defendant had cheated the Income Tax Commissioner by making false returns. Ho had started with the sum of £2OOO. and in four ycav.s that sum had swelled to £II,OOO. There was only one way to stop it and ihat was to make the penalty heavy. On two charges defendant was convicted and fined £IOO on each, the maximum penalty, and £SO on each of the other two.