TRADE UNION FUNDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 227, 24 August 1945, Page 4

TRADE UNION FUNDS

EXEMPT FROM TAXATION?

fPress Assn.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 23 Mr A. S. Sutherland (Nat., Hauraki) in the House of Representatives today gave notice to ask the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) if he would advise the House whether it was correct that secretaries of trade unions had been informed that half their remuneration could be regarded as expenses and therefore exempt from the Social Security, National Security and income taxes, and if so would he instruct the Commissioner of Taxes to allow some deduction in the case of secretaries of similar organisations. Miss M. Howard (Lab., Christchurch East) : I’ll reply to that now. No. Mr Sutherland, continuing with, his question, asked if the Minister was aware that the Commissioner of Taxes had ruled that for the purpose of income tax assessment trade unions should be regarded as friendly societies and their funds exempted from taxation, and if so would the Minister instruct that the same concession be extended to other organisations of a like nature. Mr Nash said he could answer the first part of the question at once. It was not correct.

Opposition members: What about the second half ?

Tho Minister said that it could go ori the Order Paper.