Decision on tax return charges reserved

Press, 22 October 1983, Page 4

Decision on tax return charges reserved

At the completion of evidence and counsel’s submissions yesterday Judge Paterson in the District Court reserved his decision on charges against a retired man of wilfully making false returns of income for each of the five income years from 1977 to 1981. The defendant, Vasil Frecka, had denied the charges.

The Inland Revenue Department alleged that the defendant had understated rental income from properties by $27,280 during the five years, but the defendant claimed he had accumulated a cash hoard of more than £lO,OOO from working on hydro-electricity projects and self-employed jobs after immigrating to New Zealand in 1951. He had used some of those savings to subsidise his bank account during years of financial loss. Evidence in the case was heard on Thursday and yesterday. Mr A. M. Mclntosh appeared for the department and Mr D. I. Jones for the defendant. “POACHED” SALMON

Two men who were said to have deliberately and “somewhat surreptitiously” taken a quinnat salmon out of season from an area in which the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society is trying to establish a spawning ground and induced salmon run, were fined a total of 5350, and costs of* 5150, by Judge Pain in the District Court yesterday. The defendants were

Parker Westenra, a farm worker, of Craigieburn Station, and Paul Rhynai, a mechanic. Westenra was fined $l5O on a charge of obstructing a society officer in the execution of his duty and he and Rhynai were each fined $lOO for taking a quinnat salmon out of season. Mr J. J. Brandts-Giesen, for the society, said a ranger saw the two defendants go to a car and place a salmon in the boot, in the Sloven’s Creek area, an upper tributary of the Waimakariri River near Avoca. Westenra twice refused to ■let the officer see inside the vehicle and the two drove off. They drove to Craigieburn Station and were followed by the officer. At the homestead they showed him inside the boot, which had a wet blanket but smelt of fish. Mr Brandts-Giesen said the offences were regarded as serious.

Mr M. J. Glue, for the two defendants, said the incident was in the nature of a highspirited prank. There had been no disturbance of young fry introduced to the area.

The pair had a rod with them, but they had caught the salmon in the closed season.

The Judge told Westenra that substantial penalties were provided for obstructing an officer. The regulations were important to the community and had to be enforced.