FALSE RETURNS OF INCOME

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 9

FALSE RETURNS OF INCOME

Offence “Rampant” In Kaitaia The Press" Special Service KAITAIA, February 15. The offence of making false returns of income appeared to be rampant in the district, said Mr Kelly, of Kaitaia, prosecuting Andrew George Urlich, a farmer, of Herekino, on charges of making false returns of income for the years 1948 to 1957. Mr J. R. Herd, S.M., fined Urlich a total of £635. The Magistrate said the case was not so gross an evasion as previous ones brought before him at Kaitaia. In assessing the penalty the Court was always left in a doubtful state of mind because it did not have the last say and did not know what further penalties the Commissioner of Taxes would Impose. Mr Kelly said that the inland Revenue Department took Court penalties into consideration and in a previous case in which the Magistrate had fined a man £9do no further imposts had been made. However, he could not give any assurance on this matter. Mr Herd said this was an interesting point, for he had heard comment that the department took a different view and that the more seriously a magistrate regarded an offence the heavier the penalties would be. Perhaps that applied in respect of smaller fines; the ' position with larger fines might be as Mr Kelly suggested, but he could not take it as certain. Mr Kelly said the income returned by Urlich for 10 years was £7345 10s 8d and the actual income was £14,763 Is lid, the deficiency being £7418. The tax paid was £139 14s lid, the newly assessed tax being £1489 18s 4d. The total evasion of income tax and social security charges was - £1827 19s lOd. He added that Urlich’s assets r- had risen from £2250 7s 6d to £12,928 2s 7d.