FALSE RETURNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1938, Page 6

FALSE RETURNS

CHARGES AGAINST HAIRDRESSER FINES TOTAL OVER £250 AUCKLAND, April 1. ‘This is one of the most serious cases of its kind that has come before this court for many a day,” said Mr G. S. Meridith, proceeding in the Magistrates’ Court_ on behalf of E. S. Smith, Deputy-Commissioner of Taxes, against Monte William Bernard Winter (Mr. North), against whose name stood a number of charges of breaches of the Land and Income Tax Act, and the Employment Promotion Act. Defendant is a women’s hairdresser and his business was described by Mr Meredith as “one of the most flourishing and fashionable” of its kind in Auckland.

Winter was proceeded against on four separate charges of wilfully making false returns under the Land and Income Tax Act and on a further charge under the Employment Promotion Act regulations of obstructing or hindering an inspector. Alternative charges under the Land and Income Tax Act were withdrawn, as were certain further charges under the other Act.

Mr, Meredith explained that the reason why he was asking that these should be withdrawn was that the alleged false declarations under the Employment Promotion Act were substantially in connection with the same transactions as charged under the Land and Income Tax Act. In view of the fact that a plea of guilty was being entered in respect of the charges under that Act, it was considered that the end of justice would be met by proceeding only with those charges.

On the first of the tax charges the magistrate, Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, imposed a fine of £lOO. Winter was fined £5O on each of the other three tax charges and £lO on that of obstructing or hindering. No doubt said, the magistrate, further penalties would be imposed by the Commissioner of Taxes.