MAYORAL HONORARIA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 962, 3 May 1930, Page 9

MAYORAL HONORARIA

INCOME TAX EXEMPTION ASKED MINISTER PROMISES HELP Press Association WELLINGTON. Friday. Tho honoraria Deceived by' city , mayors were mentioned oy a deputation to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, from tlie executive of the Municipal Association today*. Mr. J. O’Shea, Wellington city* solicitor. suggested that the Government should exempt mayoral honoraria from the payment of income tax. The Minister observed that salaries of members of Parliament were not exempt. Mr. O’Shea: We have no objection to members of Parliament being put in the same position. One member of Parliament told me that it cost him £1,200 in subscriptions to be a member. The Minister: Quite likely. Mr. O’Shea said lie also knew of tlie case of a mayor in receipt of an honorarium of £4OO, who spent £BOO in gifts. The deputation also asked that provision should be made for the payment of honofaria to chairmen of town boards. Mr. O’Shea added that the honorarium of a mayor could not exceed £SOO, and the sum had to be fixed from time to time by the local bodies. Some were generous and some were not. In his opinion, the honoraria of the mayors for the seven cities should be fixed by Statute at £SOO. and in other cases a system of graduation according to population and ability to pay*. The Minister said he agreed that men who gave their services to the community and who were not in strong financial positions were entitled to something reasonable. He would go thoroughly’ into the matter to see wliat could be done.