WOOLSTON TANNERIES

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19928, 15 May 1930, Page 12

WOOLSTON TANNERIES

PETITION FOR REFUND OF INCOME TAXi . [THE PBESSi Special Service.] WELLINGTON, May 14. A Commission of Enquiry sat in the Supremo Court to-day to enquire further into the claims for relief in respect to income tax of; the 'Woolston Tanneries," Ltd.. It ■was"'set out that in consequence of having reduced its prices on manufactured goods during the period of • the embargo on the export of bides, the : company, working in conjunction with the Board of Trade, had:been unable to create'a reserve, and had incurred, serious losses..when the embargo was removed in February, 1920, and the prices, of hides rose to a high level. The company petitioned for a refund of.tbe : whole or such portion a 6 might' be considered, just of the in-. I come 'tax paid- duriiig' the years preceding the \i&ip&\ of the embargo. The; Commission' • their Honours, Mr "Justice Reed tchairirtao), Mr Jus- . tice Ostler, and Mr' Justice'-Blair: Mr A. feC:* twithvhimv Mr". W.v N. Matthews, appeared for ".the" petitioner,: an<l : -Mr K ;B; 'Cboke, with, him Mr C: ; "?£ : ' J»yipr/ 7 of /^o>A.'' i Gro*>> • Law Offife^forvlhe>;GT<^.-;v-..^ ; r_:.,> .^.:-:■'.- ■'•- lo'-opening.bitKCaase, •Mx-;.Grxas said the petition Was- that -presented-to the ijotiie" of" in; 1923, "and upon "which- a icpnsjderahfe-amount'oft evidence was Committee ;tblwhieTi r it %as>:re|err«d«ireeopmena^ line company'was not? sel r . having , ia&eii: -:exoeptipn*'..to":." 0» orderl of! reference,;, on the; ground thafr itf-was.;npt»ih an un-, d|*rfs£king given>in f correspbndence be« tween the .Government -and,Ijifae 1 jifae com--p"any: ' .'"The Committee''came to the established a ;claim';.; In- the same year the'. Vcottfpany: again, petitioned., the Ijouse ,ot : a- fay-: ojirable .report was made tov the; effect, that a'Judgev'bf:;the'; Siiprelne Court 6hdjiT&seap-pointeifc toenquire into the petition./. This was-dope fin,» 1926, ;by findings were indwl beforeAfterVSir John-Hossfcingterepotb was. made-the company' -.agwn;petitioned. the Hbuw.of rftepresenta.tiyes, andtbe. Coinmittee again favourably: reported UD^n^itsJease,-." In; effect,-continued ; Mr. Gray, the-proceedings to-day were in the natute of .a *ehear,bg ojF the -peto tipn beard-by '.Sh" John ; .Hoskihg, -and in a sense' ah fepjoeal -from •bis findings. Tlie Cbuft adii6riMied-till to-morrow.