UNUSUAL PETITIONS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19144, 29 October 1927, Page 5

UNUSUAL PETITIONS.

REMISSION OF TAXES. [THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON', October 28. Mr D. Jones to-day presented a petition from Francis and John Smith, of Springston, who are in occupation of 430 acres of freehold land suitable for fattening and cropping, the land having been bought at £36 per acre. The sum of £2677 was paid in cash, and £12,550 remained on mortgage to various individuals. The unimproved value of the land, they state, is only £10,560, or £25 5s per acre. Petitioners are indebted to a Canterbury firm of stock and station agents on current account £2399. The losses for the past three seasons have been £SOO per annum, and petitioners state that it is impracticable to borrow further moneys for the purpose of meeting the land tax. Proceedings have been taken by the Tax Commissioner with respect to £23 2s lOd. A careful valuation of petitioners' affairs shows a state of insolvency, the deficiency being £I2OO. Petitioners therefore request that the proceedings be withdrawn, and that future demands for tax be waived. Mr Jones also presented a petition from James Milston, of To Pirita, a farmer and a returned soldier, who had purchased land for grazing at £8 2s 6d per acre, the purchase money amounting to £18,525. He had received assistance as follows—Sum written off by vendors £650, written off by mortgagee £338, written off current account in stock agents' books £4BO, total £2OIB. The unimproved valuation is £13,680 and the unpaid purchase money £15,000. The indebtedness to the stock and station agents is £8965, included in which is £453 borrowed during the past seven years for discharging annual demands for land tax. Petitioners' losses averaged £4OO a year. He asks that proceedings in regard to arrears for land tax be withdrawn and future land tax demands waived.