UNFAIR EXEMPTIONS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19146, 1 November 1927, Page 4

UNFAIR EXEMPTIONS.

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. Before other business was dealt with, at yesterday's session of the annual conference of the Associated Chamber of Commerce, Mr W. Machin ..(president) said he had a personal correction to make. He had received a. telegram from the Public Trustee, stating that the Department did pay income tax. The speaker had made 'a statement in the opposite direction. He had done so on incorrect information, though he bad thought it was of unimpeachable character. It showed that such information must be siited before making a statement. He had telegraphed to the Public Trustee, corrects mg the statement, and • asking tiie Public Trustee if his Department paid local rates and graduated land tax. He had ascertained that the Department was exempt from stamp duty, being a Grown authority, from the law compelling the attachment of stamps to receipts over a certain value and from the payment of general rates; and paiJ no license fee. There were other instances in which the Public Trust Office got relief in the conduct of its business in such a way that the effect was to increase the overhead in the Dominion, which everybody deplored.