ONE DAY LATE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 7

ONE DAY LATE

AUCKLAND FIRM PENALISED FOR DELAYED LAND TAX Parliament asked for rebate (The SUM’S Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENT RLDGS., Wed. Because land tax was paid a day late by Hancock and Company, of Auckland, a 2j per cent, penalty amounting to £371 was incurred. The matter was considered by the A to L Petitions Committee, which made a recommendation to the House this afternoon that the penalty should he reduced to £IOO. Hostile discussion on the recommendation resulted in its being referred back for further consideration. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) aaid the House should not agree to the rebate without evidence of justification. Possibly it was a compassionate allowance. (Laughter.) It was preposterous that a favourable recommendation should be made without the House being told one syllable about the merits and facts of the case. The Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, said that considerations of wealth or poverty did not enter into the case. The firm paid its land tax at 11 o'clock in the morning after the due date. In the stress of the election an official had entered the due date wrongly.

A Voice: Was he standing at the election? Mr. Donald: He was interested. The Commissioner of Taxes recommended reduction of the penalty to £IOO considering the circumstances of the case. That a new and dangerous principle was being introduced was the opinion of Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton). “If this is agreed to we will have petitions from all over New Zealand seeking the same concession,” said Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North). “I am surprised at the committee bringing down such a report.” Mr. H. R. Jenkins (Parnall) also thought an unwise precedent was being established. On the motion of Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) the report was referred back for further consideration.