FARMERS AND THE INCOME TAX.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16980, 17 April 1917, Page 5

FARMERS AND THE INCOME TAX.

OUT FOR THE "SHIRKER." (From Oub Own Cobrespondent.) WELLINGTON, April 16. Now that the income tax demands are all out, and all but the late-comers have paid their taxes, complaints are being made by some farmers who find that their prosperous neighbours' are often escaping scot-tree. These men have never furnished returns ot their income, and so have evaded the payment of '• both of tho income taxes and of tho excess profits tax. Tho Income Tax Department is not unaware of the fact that many farmers who should have paid income tax havo not done so. - A good deal of information has already been collected about these 'defaulters, but tho staff of the department, which is much below strength, has been unable during the present busy season to mako full use of the information. I n due time tho defaulters -will hear from the department, and unless, they can show cause why they have not supplied returns ot their incomes, they will have to pay treble tho amount of tho tax due by them. This applies to those farmers who did not pay their income tax last year, as well as to those who are liable only for the taxes of this year. Last year the farmers' income tax .was a new tax, and tho department missed a number of farmers in tho collection of it Everything possible will be done to remedy these errors. To get the necessary information the department is making use of country rolls and'dairy factory returns, and it has also other sources of information. There are evidences of alarm already among the defaulters. One of them is that numbers of post offices are receiving applications for forms. The practice hitherto has been to let men who furnish their returns without being asked for them pay tho tax plus_ tho usual addition of 10 per cent, for being late in' payment, and to excuse them of payment of the penal chargo of treble tho.amount of the tax.

There are 2358 nowspapcrs in Great Britain. England claims 1807; Wales, 126; Scotland, 25*; Ireland, 195; and the isles, 16. ■