TAX RETURNS WITHHELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19388, 24 July 1926, Page 14

TAX RETURNS WITHHELD.

PERSUASION SUCCESSFUL. SAD CASE OF A WIDOW. [BY TELEGRAPH,—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Friday. The case in which Alice Merry, a widow, was charged with failing to deliver particulars of the dutiable estate of her deceased son to the Commissioner of Taxes was concluded in the Magistrate's Court to-day after an adjournment of five weeks. Mr. J. M. Tudhope, who appeared f6r the prosecution, recalled the facts of the case. Mrs. Merry had steadfastly refused to file accounts to the. commissioner for a considerable time, but now a solicitor from another centre, who was also a member of Parliament and a personal friend of Mrs. Merry, had persuaded her to file the accounts. " She is perhaps a subject for pity," said counsel. " She lost her son and her husband within a short space of time and although she is a wealthy woman she lives alone in an empty house. Apparently she is obessed by tho idea that there is some conspiracy to defraud her, but now she has agreed to file the accounts on the representations of the gentleman I have mentioned." Under the circumstances counsel suggested that Mrs. Merry should be ordered to pay costs only, although tho amount owing as death duty was in the vicinity of £IOOO. The magistrate, Mr. E. Page, agreed to this course and convicted Mrs. Merry and ordered her to pay the costs of the proceedings.