LAND TAX COLLECTION

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 5

LAND TAX COLLECTION

IN NEW SOUTH WALES. REPORT OF ROYAL COMMISSION. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, January 23. The report of the Royal Commission, which inquired into charges made by Mr Scullin respecting non-collection of land tax and allegations regarding favouritism towards large land holders, says that although Sir Sydney Kidman should have been prosecuted for failure to send in returns, for he must accept responsibility for his agent’s defaults, the Commissioner of Taxation was not guilty of any impropriety in failing to prosecute him. It is not correct to say, the report adds, that the present Government has ruthlessly pursued persons who have a small amount of land tax and is less strict in collecting tax from those who are assessed for large sums. Big pastoralists have no advantage in this regard compared with the struggling farmer and small land owmer. The correct amount of outstanding land tax at June 30th last was £2,057,882. Debtors to the Commissioner of Taxation numbered 4,746, of which 3,767 each owed less than £lOO. Persons who are not paying taxes are mainly Crown lessees. The amount due on freehold property, subject to qualifications, is £382.670. The Royal Commissioner states he is satisfied in no case has the Commissioner of Taxation improperly refrained from instituting a prosecution. In one case alone no reason for non-prosecution is given, namely, in the case of Sir S. Kidman.