OVERHEARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 911, 2 September 1910, Page 5

OVERHEARD.

AT THE DEATH DUTIES : '; '. : office.: '■"■.'[./. : :'■':"' ' how the new act works. [The manner in which increased taxa*. tion will be extracted from widows and ; other benefiuiarios under the new death '-'■'* duties is well illustrated in this series of " ■ imaginary conversations -.vith the Minis- ' ter. The Information afforded ae'to'tha' ~ amount of. duty now collectable as com-' ' pared with the amount collected under J the old Act has been checked by a. mem- '••'■: ber of>the legal fraternity and passed : as ; cerrect.] /. .■ • ■" .. -. ■ ;:'■■■ V ': ■ ■■■, n ::.:.;■.u:<v--A countryman, entered, carrying Vail ominous-looking riding-crop. . .. V-.'. ' "Mr. Minister," he began, "I - want '•"' your- assistance. -.My -late 'employer, - : ■\? whom I served for twenty-five years, "left . ■■•• ' me JC4OO by his will, but the scoundrelly - executors woirt-pay me muro than £iW. ~,.•'. -. They say that the death duties have ab- '•" ■■'■ -sarbod the balance, and Isimply cannot: believe them.". . .■•; ".-. y. ■■ .-':■'■.-■'•-.-•■ "Let me see: yes," replied the- Minis- .'V: ter, "the executors are. right; the Moated"' . : ':: : , plutocrat you worked for, left a dutiable - ee-. ■:'' v "' tate of the value of .£150,000. ; The. es--j. :' tato duty is calculated under the .'new ■ ■■■;"■ liberal .Act at 15 per 1 cent,, or.in. your- v case .£6O. In addition, you have.-Gucces-i '■' son.duty to pay ut the rate of, 10 pet '"'.■■■;■ cent., or £H), making a total duty ■; pi •-':■-. £IW on. your legacy. .... ■. . : . ■■' - ,• : .,, . v:. "Never heard of succession duty! Whj : '■.-. ■•:■'■ 'that'is what the fashion modistes call ./;. the.dernier n.ri in Liberalism. It really ; ■''{\.,\ should not apply m your ease, but then ■; there are comparatively few station man- ' agers 'in New - Zealand'. nowiidaye,, ; and. their votes scarcely count : at ■a. 'general ■■•'-' . election. •. -What would ithe duty ~have. ■• been..under the .old 'Tory Act? , . Let me: ; 7.sec: 10, per cent., plus ,3 per/cent. addi-v- ■'. ; tiorial for strangers .in. blood, alto-y ■; gather," a ridiculously small and illiberal,. ■ : contributioiv.to ,_tho .rsvenue" from a man'. '■'. j in possession of.' MOO.: ■ You have-;'v..■;; lost" ..your- billet,, and this sum la the re- v, cognition of .your long.'service ? ' What of \ I- ,t that?... Eemember, you have not r .T?orked-.-.■,■■ -■'■ forit. TJo just step ! ;albng" ; to. those-eie-,.;,,',.. cutors and say you'will be glad•,to have..'. v ; your w£3oo, and. the will t» •'.',' :.-■■■■ glad to have its modest £100. If/the set ~ .;', tlement is , ; delayed -Mnuch longer; there •■.';.'.-. will be a : finn- of S ' per cent, that-will..' hasten .your steps." v '., . ■ ■':;, ■'.; ■ ■•-..