A BAKER FINED.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 May 1928, Page 9

A BAKER FINED.

FALSE INCOME TAX'RETURNS. [BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, May 25. In, the Police Court, a baker, Alexander Shand, who is in business at Huntly, appeared to answer five charges that he wilfully made false returns ot income for the years 1922 to 1927. He pleaded not guilty. Mr Babble, Crown Prosecutor, stated that it would ibe shown that defendant was depositing as .savings -more than •returnable as taxable income. The total deficiency in the amount of the tax paid was £307 19s - 7d. The inspector suggested to defendant that his books were all bunkum, and defendant replied “I suppose they are.” Mr Terry, who appeared for Shand, said he must admit that the returns as rendered were incorrect. However, they were not wilfully rendered, at most they were negligently rendered. Shand did" not wilfully perpetrate a fraud upon the Taxation Department. He was an efficient baker and thrifty, but his knowledge of accountancy was both elementary and rumidentary. Shand in (his ignorant wav thought he only had to make a return of his income from business after deducting expenses. His wife -had money in the business..She was really a partner, and defendant did not- consider he was bound to rendered particulars of private returns. “Well, I am ’going to convict this man,” said the Magistrate (Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M.). “It is a case of downright impudence. Why, in one year he showed his income to be £lO6, whereas it was shown to have been over £I2OO. He has been getting out of paying his taxation and he has been _ drawing money out and putting it in his pocket. Shand will be fined £25 and costs on each, of the five charges. That will make people be honest in their returns.”