WAGES TAX

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 15

WAGES TAX

VISITS OF! INSPECTORS

The Unemployment Boarcl advises that the investigations being carried out by the wages tax inspectors disclose that" a number of people are not yet aware of their responsibilities under the Unemployment Act, particularly regarding the payment of »the tax on emoluments, such as free housing, board and lodging, free meals, etc. Jt is also found that in many cases women who are in receipt of income other than salary or wages in excess of £20 p.a. are not aware that they are required to furnish declarations and to pay the charge on all such income in excess of that amount. Since tlie (appointment of the inspectors in October last, ovor 14,000 inspections have b«en made, resulting in tho direct recovery of approximately £9000 in additional tax. In addition to this amount there is no doubt that the material increase in the revenue received from the salo of stamps can be attributed to the operations, of the inspectors. The board reports that the average monthly receipts from the sale of stamps and from wages tax paid in cash to the Post and Telegraph Department for the three months ended September, 1932, amounted to £189,225, whereas the monthly average for the three months ended December, 1932, was £195,903, and for the three mouths ended March, 1933, £201,455. Tho report • .states that while the majority of the breaches disclosed are due to ignorance of the law, the inspectors have on occasions found'cases where employers are deliberately avoiding payment of the tax, and in all these cases prosecutions are taken. In one case it was found that, the employer had deducted tax to the amount of 'over £170 from the wages of his employees, but instead of accounting for it in the prescribed manner liad used the money in his business. Needless to say the employer was prosecuted, and the" Magistrate imposed a suitable fine, plus costs. , Up to the present the board advises that time has not permitted as thorough an inspection in each-town as desirable, but the inspectors are now starting on a complete investigation over the whole of tho town and country districts, and where employers have not already had a visit from an inspector they may.expect to receive one in.the near firtum ..._.-.*' ':