INCOME TAX RETURNS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20702, 27 April 1929, Page 13

INCOME TAX RETURNS.

EVASION OF PAYMENT. accused fined on four CHARGES. , (Psr United Press Association.) ■ AUCKLAND, April 25, Charges of failure to furnish income tax returns for the past four year* wen' preferred in the Police Court to-day against Percy Douglas Jones. Mr Hubble, for the Commissioner of Taxes, said that Jones should have paid the tax every- year since 1919, and had not done so. The total amount of tax which had been evaded in the nine years was over £3OO. It was true that a certain amount of this income had been credited, but the department had been definitely advised that if was all assessable. The seriousness ofv the matter frqm the point of view of the department lay in the fact that if it had not been discovered by chance the accused would have escaped for the whole nine years. Counsel for Jones said that the omission to make returns was to-a certain extent due to carelessness. Jones knew little about clerical work. He took no active part in the book-keeping or clerical side of the business. In any case, the amount of his drawings from the business was very low. The magistrate {Mr F. K; Hunt) commooted that in some years Jones was receiving a total income of between £9OO and £IOOO, and must have known that ha was liable to.taxation. Fines of £lO for' each of four years were imposed, Jones being also ordered to pay the costs of, the prosecution.