WELL-DESERYED RECOGNITION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 992, 6 December 1910, Page 4

WELL-DESERYED RECOGNITION.

:. - DECLINED ON GROUNDS OF ' ■•■ .. PRINCIPLE. :■ An.item of .£lso,'"allowance to W. M. Tyers, Inspector of Taxes," appeared on' the Supplementary Estimates, and was passed by the House on Saturday morning. Mr. Tyers, it will be recalled,, was the officer of the Taxing Department Who exposed the failure of Bowron Bros, "to present a correct income tax return, and who was responsible for exposures of certain improprieties in the Taxing and Lending Department. It appears that the 'i! 150 on the Estimates wasin the nature of a reward for services rendered in connection with the Bowron Bros, alf air. Mr. Tyers takes a very strict view of the obligations resting on officers of the Taxation Department, and when the item on the Estimates came under his notice ho wrote as follows to the Commissioner of Taxes, the 'letter being dated December 3, the day on which the Supplementary Estimates were made public:— .Land and Income Tax Department, . Wellington, December 3, 1910. The Commissioner .of Taxes, Wellington. .... . .Sir,—Referring to an item, Class IX, Department of Internal Aii'nirs, which . I see in tho Supplementary Estimates, "Allowance to W. M. Tyers, Inspector ■ of Taxes, ■filSO," and to' a conversation with you to-day at which, my impression was confirmed, that this was. intended in the naturo of a reward to mo in connection with tho prosecution of certain taxpayers, I ' have to ask that you will convey my' thanks to Hid Right Hon. the Minister of Finance for this intended recognition, with my earnest request that the item may bO' , withdrawn from the Estimates. '• ■•-.■' ' My reason. for making this request is the deep feeling I have that no officer of the Department should havo any direct' financial interest in any assessment. ■ Tours obediently, (Sgd.) W. M. TYERS,. Inspector. Parliament passed the 'vote, which presumably means that in tho opinion of Parliament Mr., Tyers should accept this I well-deserved recognition of his services.