OFFICIAL FOLLY.

Evening Star, Issue 11673, 4 February 1902, Page 6

OFFICIAL FOLLY.

A PALTRY BIT OF BUSINESS. [Special to tttk Stah.l

WELLINGTON. February 4

Under the heading “ A Tax on Patriot inn” the ‘Times' publishes the correspondence between a Wellington citizen and the Commissioner of Taxes. The fntmer wrote on January 15:—“ Yours is a, most remarkable department. By what right do yon refuse to admit subscriptions to patriotic and similar funds as legitimate untatablo expenditure? It appears that we, after subscribing liberally in this direction, have to pay an Income Tax on money devoted to the needs of the Empire.' The gibes of the Germans will be mild compared with tbs gibes which will he level ,cd at yon when this becomes known. For the credit, of your department and the colony, 1 trust that this is the work of some ignorant subordinate, and that it will be promptly disowned by yourself. Can the Ministry e; New Zealand, who have stood in the front of the patriotic feeling of (his country, defend the course vour department has taken 9 And do you think they will be please 1 when they hear of it?" In reply, Mr M’Gowan wrote: —“I have to inform you that all donations, whether to a patriotic r any other fund, being a disposition of income and not an expense incurred in ‘ta production, your claim cannot, by the provisions of the Assessment Act, he allowed.’ After a great deal of correspondence, Mr M‘Gowan advised complainant to lodge a complaint before the magistrate, and et him decide. The gentleman, however, rt fused to do this, because, even if he won, it would cost him more than the amount ai issue.