DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[ill- TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. MOTORIST KILLED. WAiPAWA, April 11. G. A . Olliver, a retired farmer, living at Otane, was killed while motoring to -Patangala this morning. His car was ascending a steep hill when it suddenly swerved and fell over a high hank. Mrs Olliver suffered a broken leg and internal injuries. ANOTHER OH IN EM UR [ RIVERDROWNING. WAHII, April It, A sequel to the accidental drowning of Christina K. Poole, a girl aged twelve years, in the Ohiuemuri river on the Bth of April, was furnished on Saturday afternoon when Harry Morris, aged 23, while assisting to search the Hooded river for the body, was drowned. The evidence at the inquest showed that a party on a raft, including the deceased, having learned that the body of the girl bad been found tried to get the raft ashore, but failed owing to the strong current. Deceased volunteered to swim,to the hank with a rope attached to his body. The current caught the rope and the men on the raft had to let it go as the rope dragged deceased under.

A gallant attempt at rescue was made by a mail named McLeod. Three times he caught hold of the deceased hut could not keep a grip. The body was recovered forty-five minutes later. MAKAR AKA MURDER. SCOTT TO BE HANGED THURSDAY AUCKLAND, April 13. Robert Herbert Scott, sentenced to death for the murder of Catherine Murray at, Makaraka. will ho hanged at ,4ft. Eden gaol at 8 n.m. on Thursday next. UNDERPAID WORKERS. WELLINGTON, April 10 The omission of the umler-rato workers’ clause in the carpenters’ award led to an application before the Arbitration Court to-day, when the employers aplied to have the award amended bv the insertion of a clause the workers objected to. It was explained that the clause was not considered by the Conciliation Council, which sat late at night, and therefore it was not included in the recommendations and the award appeared without- it. After discussion, Ihe application was granted. TAX COMMISSION. WELLINGTON, April 14. The Taxation Commission commenced its sitting to-day. Mr Justice Sim presiding. The other Commissioners were : .T. Bcgg. (Dunedin), W. D. Hunt, G. Nhirtelifi’e, and T. S. Weston (Wellington). The Commissioner of Taxes, D.-Clarke replying to Mr ShirtcTiffe stated that all State Departments pal’d income tax. lie could give no reason for taxation concession to schoolitc and gold-mining companies.

4fr Weston remarked in such instances ail arbitrary method of assessment was adopted and that this applied in the ease of speculative concerns. Ho understood that there v.erc only two or three such companies operating in the Dominion, and lie did. not think they were doing very well. There were exceptions in the case of State Coal Department, Railways, and Dost and Telegraph services.

Tn reply to Mr Hunt witness stated that the income tax of the State Advances Department, in practice, would licit work out at a very small sum as compared with the taxation payments of a small company. The assessment was made in just the same' way as in the case of a private company.

Mr Weston pointed out- that-the State Advances Department paid no tax upon the capital it used, but only upon the profits. The capital was tax free, whereas in the hands of a eomany, it would not bo. so. In . practice the company bad to pay debenture tax while the State Paid none.

The Conimissioi? answered that the State Advances capita] was taxable in England.

Mr Weston asked if the State Advances taxation was very small as compared with.that upon small companies. Witness replied in the negative and undertook to furnish a- comparison ill a typical case in order to show what he meant.

Mr Weston asked if it were not difficult to apply ordinary rules of assessment to local authorities and Government undertakings. Witness said they could not be applied. Mr 'Weston referred to the tramway undertakings, which were carried on purely out of debenture moneys. Had the Commissioner taken out the loss to the country involved by the purchase of the Auckland Tramways by the Auckland City Council? "Witness answered in the negative.

Replying to Air Shirteliffe, witness said that municipal undertakings paid no income tax whatever.