CHARGE ON INCOME

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 102, 3 May 1933, Page 11

CHARGE ON INCOME

SPORTS BODIES TAXED

RUGBY UNION PROTESTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

"An item which appears on the bal-anco-shcot for the first timo is thai; for I income tax, £301 9s Od," states tho annual report of tho New Zealand. Rugby Union, in referring to tho state of tho union's finances. The item covers the period 1929-33. According to tho report tho financial position is very sound, although tho past year resulted in an excess of expenditure over income of £944 lls lid.. "In- tho past, sports bodies have been immune from inpomo tax," continues tho report, '/ihxit / apparently now, iv its search for revenue, the Govcrninenj^has called upon this union, as raaJi-"!tsaffiliated unions, to pay in<Wne tax. "The committee is of the opinion that amateur sports bodies, whose funds are used solely for tho promotion of healthy sport and recreation among the young manhood of the Dominion, .should not be called upon to pay this tax. By making substantial grants for the purchase of footballs for use by schools, and providing free copies of rules and books of instruction: to tho masters for thoir guidance in coaching the boys, it is felt the union is fulfilling an important part in the education of the youth of tho Dominion. "Tho funds of the union are also utilised in providing playing fields ■throughout the Dominion, and this relieves local bodies of, an obligation to provide open spaces on which to play games. When tho grounds arc not used for playing Rugby they arc used by other1 amateur sports bodies for the carrying on of their games. "Surely it was never intonded that amateur sports bodies should be called upon to pay such a tax. Every effort is being made- to obtain relief from the taxation imposed, and the assistance of all unions is asked in this direction." £725 SPENT ON SCHOOLS. The union's expenditure for tho year amounted to £3000 10s Bd, and tho income to £2055 18s 9a. Among the principal items on the expenditure side ■was a sum of £.725, comprising grants to schools. The tour of the North Island by the Maori representative sido cost tho union £'484 14s 7d, but the profits, if any, of the various matches were retained by tho unions visited. Tho Prince of Wales Cup match resulted in a loss of £174 los. The Australian tour cost the union £103 7s 3d, and would have been considerably moro expensive had it not Lecn for tho profit of £293 0s 2d shown by.the match against Wellington prior to tho team's departure. A icfund of £279 16s 4d was received I from the1 New South Wales Union towards tho assembly and disbandment expenses and steaiaer fares to Sydney, which amounted to £324 10s. The fitting out of the team cost £123 17s sd, and the hotel expenses \werc £70 16s. Tho North v. South match at Christchurch showed a net profit of £384 5s Sd, tho gross gate being £954 11s 2d. Delegates' expenses, which totalled £271 2s Id, showed an increase on theprevious year owing to tho holding of" a special general meeting to consider the question of the replacement of injured players. ' The union spent £2-1 10s 3d in proriding footballs' for relief workers' camps, and the committee expressed ■the feeling that good work was being done by providing recreation ±or the men in such camps. The union's income was derived from the profit oil the inter-Island match, subscriptions from unions, £160 11s 6a, and interest, £1510 9s .7d. A small item was 12s from the sale of annuals.