INCOME TAX RETURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19133, 26 September 1925, Page 13

INCOME TAX RETURNS.

A KING COUNTRY HOTEL. HEAVY DEFICIENCY SHOWN. [by telegkaph.—-puess association.] WELLINGTON. Friday. Charges of wilfully furnishing false returns of income tax were preferred against John Quirk, proprietor of the Gretna Hotel, Tailiape. Defendant pleaded guilty to negligence, but denied intent to defraud. It was stated that the informations covered a period from 1919 to 1924: Defendant in 1920 gave his income as £4372, whereas it was £6644. The amount paid in tax was £1174 instead of £2373. It was alleged that the total returns of income were £10,373 less than they should have been and the deficiency in tax was £2623. Defendant had admitted the correctness of the figures. For the defence it was urged that defendant, who was a .man of probity and was held in high esteem, had not adopted a proper system of keeping books and had sunk a great deal of money which would never rise again. Defendant's payments off a loan made,to him for the purchase of the hotel had been incorrectly entered. It was contended that defendant had not made anything like the profits alleged. When the figures were challenged he had asked for the fullest investigation, so confident was he of the honesty of his position;-

A public accountant said that defendant had no knowledge of book-keeping. The Magistrate: Weren't the acts of negligence in his favour ? Witness: It is difficult to say. No proper books were kept and .depreciation of the property had not been allowed for by llefendant.

The magistrate reserved his decision. He said it was unlikely that ho would convict defendant of wilful intent.