AN INCOME TAX APPEAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 23 April 1907, Page 4

AN INCOME TAX APPEAL.

[United Press Assc-ctAtiflS.] WELLINGTON, Monday. The Court of Appeal is engaged in the case of Thomas Borthwick and Sons v. the Commissioner of Taxes, being an appeal from the decision of Mr Bishop, S.M., Christchurch, and removed by consent from Christchurch to the Court of Appeal. The appellants are large buyers ot sheep, and have branch oflices in the colony, though the head office is situated in London. They were called upon by the Commissioner of Taxes to furnish return of income derived from business during the year ended March, i 903. No information was given beyond the statement that during the period named the sum of £345,138 in the purchase of live stock. The Commissioner treated the appellants as non-re-siden agents or traders, and assessed their income for the year namod at £50,030, 5 per cont on £345,138. The appellants objected to being treated as non-residents and further contended that nonprofits had been derived from the business for the 12 months ended March 1903. Tho Magistrate dismissed both the objections ,and the appeal is from this decision. During argument Mr Harper, for appellants, admitted that they were liable to pay income tax on the value of the sheep frozen in New Zealand, less te cost of -urchase and killing, and ultimately, at the suggestion of the Court, the matter was allowed to stand over until the next Court of Appeal, the appellants in the meantime to furnish a return to tho Commissioner.