INCOME TAX EXEMPTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20013, 11 August 1939, Page 5

INCOME TAX EXEMPTION

PLEA FOR SMALL FARMER MEMBER. FOR IT AURA KT (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A pica to exempt the small farmer from the payment of income tax was made in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. ,T. M. Allen (Nat., Hauraki). He enumerated the taxes that had to be paid at present, emphasising the social security charge and the petrol and tyre taxes. In addition the farmer had hospital and drainage rates to meet and he should not be required to add income tax to the aggregate. Mr. F. W. Schramm <.l.ab., Auckland East): Why not? Mr. Allen said that the making out of income tax .returns, together with filling in other documents, was a task set farmers that took considerable time. They had to fill in the social security return, occupational status, a declaration of stock and sheep returns, and car registi-ation and driver’s license forms and if one man was employed on the farm a wages book had to be kept. No allowance was made for this, the farmer having to bear the whole burden of the farm work as well as the clerical work necessary to satisfy the various State departments. The Budget imposed extra taxation or.d an impost on savings. It was time a halt was called: otherwise it would be too late.