Farmer And False Income Tax Returns

Chronicle (Levin), 14 February 1948, Page 7

Farmer And False Income Tax Returns

INVERCARGILL, Feb. 12. A fine of £75 on each of three charges of furnishing false returns of income was imposed by Mr, Abernethy, S.M.. 011 Thomas Alexander Hazlett, -a farrner of Winton. Big discrepancies had beeii shown -iu returns made bv Hazlctt during the years 1943, 1944 and 1945, said Mr. J. R. Mills, who appeared fof the Com uiissioner of Taxes. * For the year ended Marcli 31, 1943, re returned an income of £299 5s- 3d. His incoine had ■ siue-e been asseqsedLyat £2066 15s 3d. In 1944 Hazletts figure had been £52 -agaiust an assessed return of £2461 and for the year ended March 31, 1945, defeudant had shown a return of £473 9.Ud against an assessmfent of £2791 17s ;hl, These assessmchts had not been , ibjected to by def'endant who, in that time, had evaded £-854 in income tax, said Mr. Mills. Investigations carried oue by the Land and Income Tax Depart ment during a -nine-year period, had | shown discrepanciea between defendant 's income tax returns and tlie department 's assessments of just below £14.000. ' ' The Magistrate said he was satisflefi Hazletts — a shrewd successfu] farmer — had been making substautially more than he had revealed and that he had furnished hothing like true figures. . Referring to the standard value of 10s a head which had beon plaeed, not only on the purchase of defendant's sheep but also on the sale of. the sheep, Mr. Abernethy said defendant miglit have been returning his- stoek at l*0s n liead sinee 1919. Incredible as it miglit ■seeiu, this error had been alloAved to pass unnoticed by the. Depart me-nt.