THIS TAX MONTH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 13, 6 February 1942, Page 5

THIS TAX MONTH

FATAL FEBRUARY

INROADS INTO RANK BALANCICS

This is February, the shortest month, but also the month which produces long queues of taxpayers at the Whaikatane Post Office. Should any reader dkrobt this, then let him or her come along 1 (levy book and' five bob in hand) on any of the last few days of February. , Readers of the Beacon have been "tactfully reminded recently by a big "advertisement signed by the Commissioner of Taxes that they had better "queue up" at the local Post Office paying in windows and cough xip that 5/- due in February. Alsoi should any folk have another quartax to pay on their last year's income that escaped wages tax — "—yell then the taxpayers can take it. let us all parade at the Post 'Office and render unto Peter Fraser that which he says we owe him. Not that we do not feel pangs of regret as we roll our two halfcrcwns •over the counter, as if parting with old friends we should never see again. But of course it has been feelingly expressed in verse by the % bard who wrote For who- to Pater Fraser's tax a prey His hard earned five bob ere re--signed Left the packed precincts of the • place to pay Nor cast one longing, lingering look behind? - February is also income tax month, the Tax Commissioner wisely assumes that taxpayers who were festive at Christmas must have earned enough by hard toil in January to be worth plundering in February.

.Therefore he posts out income tax •demands, which are not so popular as Christmas cards. Taxpayers arc invited to roll up at the local Post "Office and turn out their pockets to swell the Consolidated Fund. Let us give the taxpaying something of the glamour that attaches to horse racing, all-in wrestling or football! A splendid idea. Have you noticed something that looks like a balloon or a playball on top of the Post Office flagstaff? It is there to •encourage Avar savings. All right then. Let us boast a football branded "fticome Tax Score'" and get Mr "Gordon Stutter to broadcast a running commentary like this: "Taxpayer has the ball—no I mean the roll of notes. He tucks his wad under his arm and sets sail down the Strand towards the P.O. He is simply flying. But hold on. The "Whakatane Hotel is running out to 'tackle him. No. Taxpayer grips his ■wad and docs a good corkscrew run that leaves Alf H. high and dry. He sellsi a duihmy to the Bank on vthe corner, dodges the butcher and the baker, and cuts in to dive through the swing doors and ground lxis roll of notes on the P.O. counter. A wonderful try! The crowd is cheering and throwing hats in the air. And here's the Postmaster placing the wad for the kick at goal. He's running up—l, mean adding up. •Over! He's converted it into Peter's pence." But to get back to our place in the queue what about a topical song? There's a long, long queue a winding To the Whaka P.O. Where the taxpayer is waiting To part with his dough .There's a long, long, time of waiting Until by time comes, its true Till the time when I am paying up My five bob tax that's due.

Of course if people have a surplus of cash after February they can always pay their rates. The county • clerk has been tactfully hinting that ratepayers had better pay up before he puts on the 10 per cent penalty ' !n a few weiiks time.