Of Local Interest

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 2

Of Local Interest

The secretary of the Pahiatua branch 3 f the Farmers' Union (Mr. J. A. Walsh) has received the following reply from the Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Union m connection with the Government s allowance of only 30s per week tor an employee’s keep when assessing income tax returns: “The matter was discussed at' the' last-meeting of the Dominion executive and it was felt that for all the sum involved' in the-year it was not worth while pushing the matter forward for the following reasons: (a) An employee would be taxed on a larger amount if it were allowed and the difference to the farmer would be at the most a couple of pounds or so in tax in most cases. I may state that the lbs weekly allowance applies, only in cases where a man has meals with the family. Where a man is boarded separately 15s per week is allowed, and 10s is the amount which a man is taxed on;, (b) the farmer can also claim for any incidental charges, renewals and . replacement of crockery, etc., or repairs to the whare when he boards the man. This upplie3 only to unemployment tax, and for income tax there is no set amount, any reasonable charge being allowed. I do not think that the subject is worth pursuing, and it would be to a large extent a detriment to the farm workers without giving much material benefit to the farmer. This was the general view of the case by the exocutive." Recently an employee on the farm of Mr. A. Hoggard, of Mangarama, found what he thought at first to be a calf. On investigating ho was astonished to see a very young fawn lying snugly in the thicket. The “baby" immediately bounded away but was captured before it could make far. For several days it was housed near the homestead where it was given every care, learning to drink in fine style. The fawn was later given to a girl who doubtless cherishes her new-found though somewhat strange pet.