CITY MAYORS

Southland Times, Issue 21073, 3 May 1930, Page 7

CITY MAYORS

. INCOME TAX. PLEA FOR EXEMPTION. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, May 2. The honoraria received by City Mayors was a subject of representation to the Minister of International Affairs (the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle) by a deputation from the executive of the Municipal Association which waited on him to-day. Mr J. O’Shea (City Solicitor, Wellington) suggested that the Government should exempt mayors’ honoraria from the payment of income tax. The Minister observed that the salaries of members of Parliament were not exempt. Mr O'Shea: We have no objection to members of Parliament being in the same position. One member of Parliament told me that it cost him £l2OO in subscriptions to be a member. The Minister: Quite likely. Mr O’Shea said he also knew of the case of a mayor in receipt of an honorarium of £4OO who spent £BOO in gifts. The deputation also asked that provision should be made for the payment of an honoraria to the chairman of town boards. Mr O’Shea added that the honoraria of a mayor could not exceed £5OO and the sum had to be fixed from time to time by the local bodies. Some were generous and some were not. In his opinion the honoraria of the mayors for the seven cities should be fixed by Statute at £5OO and in other cases a system of graduation according to population and ability to pay. The Minister said ho agreed that men who gave their services to the community and who were not in strong financial positions -were entitled to something reasonable. He would go thoroughly into the matter to see what could be done.