RETURNS NOT MADE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 233, 1 October 1929, Page 6

RETURNS NOT MADE

STATEMENTS OF INCOME PROSECUTION AS WARNING “The Department wish it to be understood that they are going to prosecute without waiting for a default assessment to be put in,” said Mr N. R. Bain, Crown Solicitor, when he appeared for the Land and Income Tax Department at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, in three prosecutions for failure to make income tax returns. In each case a fine of £2, with 10s costs and solicitor’s fee £3 3s was imposed. In the ease of Robert Percy (Mr Thorpe) Mr Bain stated that the defendant had started in business in 1921 and had made no returns for a number of years, but had paid default assessments. In 1926 the Department’s inspector had investigated Mr Percy’s affairs and the latter had promised to make returns in future, but had not done so. Mr Bain pointed out that under the regulations a person in business must make returns no matter what the amount of his income. Neither Charles. Newson Bird nor James Brown, it was stated, had fulfilled their obligations to make returns for several years. They had either paid default assessments or had waited until a default assessment had been received before making a return.

Mr Bain stated that there was no suggestion in any of these cases of an attempt to evade the payment of tax nor that these defendants were the only offenders in this district. These cases were brought as a warning to others and it was the desire of the Department that publicity should be given to them. The making and adjusting of default assessments entailed an immense amount of additional work upon the Department and consequently additional expense which was ultimately borne by the taxpayers themselves. Taxpayers and business men must understand that the obligation was upon them to make returns or to see that returns were made on their behalf..