This Act may be cited as the Inland Revenue Department Act 1952.

This Act shall come into force on the first day of November, nineteen hundred and fifty-two.

In the Inland Revenue Acts (including this Act), unless the context otherwise requires,—

There is hereby established a Department of State, to be called the Inland Revenue Department.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to the Land and Income Tax Department or to the Stamp Duties Office shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to the Inland Revenue Department.

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 1912 a Commissioner of Inland Revenue, who shall be the head of the Department, and shall be charged with the administration of the Inland Revenue Acts and with such other functions as may from time to time be lawfully conferred upon him.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to the Commissioner of Taxes or to the Commissioner of Stamp Duties shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

The person who at the commencement of this Act holds office as Commissioner of Taxes and Commissioner of Stamp Duties shall be deemed to have been appointed to be the Commissioner of Inland Revenue under this Act.

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 1912 a Chief Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue, who shall, under the control of the Commissioner, perform such general official duties as he is called upon to perform under the Inland Revenue Acts or by the Commissioner.

On the occurrence from any cause of a vacancy in the office of Commissioner (whether by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise), and in case of the absence from duty of the Commissioner (from whatever cause arising), and so long as any such vacancy or absence continues, the Chief Deputy Commissioner shall have and may exercise all the powers, duties, and functions of the Commissioner.

The fact that the Chief Deputy Commissioner exercises any power, duty, or function of the Commissioner shall be conclusive evidence of his authority to do so.

So far as regards the assessment and recovery of any tax or duty with which the person holding office as Commissioner may be chargeable under the Inland Revenue Acts, all references in the Inland Revenue Acts to the Commissioner shall be construed as references to the Chief Deputy Commissioner.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to the Deputy Commissioner of Taxes shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to the Chief Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

The person who at the commencement of this Act holds office as Deputy Commissioner of Taxes shall be deemed to have been appointed to be the Chief Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue under this Act.

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 1912 as many Deputy Commissioners of Inland Revenue as may be found necessary for the administration of the Inland Revenue Acts.

A Deputy Commissioner shall, under the control of the Commissioner, perform such general official duties as he is called upon to perform under any of the Inland Revenue Acts or by the Commissioner.

On the occurrence from any cause of a vacancy in the office of Chief Deputy Commissioner (whether by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise), and in case of the absence from duty of the Chief Deputy Commissioner (from whatever cause arising), and so long as any such vacancy or absence continues, a Deputy Commissioner authorized in that behalf by the Commissioner shall have and may exercise all or any of the powers, duties, and functions of the Chief Deputy Commissioner. For the purposes of this subsection the powers, duties, and functions of the Chief Deputy Commissioner shall be deemed to include such of the powers, duties, and functions of the Commissioner as the Chief Deputy Commissioner may for the time being be authorized to exercise.

The fact that a Deputy Commissioner exercises any power, duty, or function of the Commissioner or of the Chief Deputy Commissioner shall be conclusive evidence of his authority to do so.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to the Deputy Commissioner of Stamp Duties or to the Second Deputy Commissioner of Taxes shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to a Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

The persons who at the commencement of this Act hold office as Deputy Commissioner of Stamp Duties and Second Deputy Commissioner of Taxes respectively shall be deemed to have been appointed to be Deputy Commissioners of Inland Revenue.

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 1912 as many District Commissioners of Taxes as may be found necessary for the administration of the Inland Revenue Acts.

A District Commissioner of Taxes shall, under the control of the Commissioner, perform such general official duties as he is called upon to perform under the Inland Revenue Acts or by the Commissioner.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to a Superintendent appointed under section three of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act 1944 shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to a District Commissioner of Taxes.

The persons who at the commencement of this Act hold office as Superintendents appointed under section three of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act 1944 shall be deemed to have been appointed to be District Commissioners of Taxes.

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 1912 as many District Commissioners of Stamp Duties as may be found necessary for the administration of the Inland Revenue Acts.

A District Commissioner of Stamp Duties shall, under the control of the Commissioner, perform such general official duties as he is called upon to perform under the Inland Revenue Acts or by the Commissioner.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to an Assistant Commissioner of Stamp Duties shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to a District Commissioner of Stamp Duties.

The persons who at the commencement of this Act hold office as Assistant Commissioners of Stamp Duties shall be deemed to have been appointed to be District Commissioners of Stamp Duties.

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 1912 such assessors, clerks, receivers, and other officers and employees as may be found necessary for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Inland Revenue Acts.

With the approval of the Minister, the Commissioner may from time to time, either generally or particularly, by writing under his hand delegate to any District Commissioner of Taxes or District Commissioner of Stamp Duties all or any of the powers of the Commissioner, except this power of delegation.

Subject to any general or special directions given or conditions imposed from time to time by the Commissioner, a District Commissioner of Taxes or District Commissioner of Stamp Duties to whom any powers are delegated under this section may exercise those powers in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on him directly by this section and not by delegation.

Every person purporting to act pursuant to any delegation under this section shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation.

Any delegation under this section may be made to a specified person or specified persons holding the office of District Commissioner of Taxes or District Commissioner of Stamp Duties, or to all persons from time to time holding those offices or either of them, or to any class or classes of such persons.

Unless and until any delegation under this section is revoked, it shall continue in force according to its tenor. In the event of the Commissioner by whom any such delegation is made ceasing to hold office it shall continue to have effect as if made by the person for the time being holding office as Commissioner, and in the event of any District Commissioner of Taxes or District Commissioner of Stamp Duties to whom any such delegation has been made ceasing to hold office it shall continue to have effect as if made to the person for the time being holding the office of that District Commissioner or for the time being exercising the functions of that office.

Every delegation under this section shall be revocable at will, and no such delegation shall prevent the exercise of any power by the Commissioner.

There shall be an official seal of the Inland Revenue Department, which shall be in the custody of the Commissioner.

There shall also be an official seal, to be approved by the Commissioner, in the custody of each District Commissioner of Stamp Duties.

Every officer of the Department—

Without limiting the generality of paragraph (a) of subsection one of this section, it is hereby declared that no officer of the Department shall be required to produce in any Court any book or document or to divulge or communicate to any Court any matter or thing coming under his notice in the performance of his duties as an officer of the Department, except when it is necessary to do so for the purpose of carrying into effect any provision of the Inland Revenue Acts or any other enactment imposing taxes or duties payable to the Crown.

Where the application of a provision of any of the Inland Revenue Acts affecting the incidence of tax or duty is expressed to be conditional on the existence of a reciprocal law or concession in any country or territory outside New Zealand, or where pursuant to a provision of any of the Inland Revenue Acts a reciprocal arrangement has been made with the Government of any country or territory outside New Zealand affecting the incidence of tax or duty, the obligation as to secrecy imposed by this section shall not prevent the Commissioner or any authorized officer of the Department from disclosing to any authorized officer of the Government of any such country or territory such information as is required by that Government to give effect to the reciprocal law or concession or to the reciprocal arrangement.

Every person who wilfully acts in contravention of the provisions of this section or in contravention of the true intent of any such oath shall be liable on summary conviction before a Magistrate to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other Act, the Commissioner or any officer of the Department authorized by him in that behalf shall at all times have full and free access to all lands, buildings, and places, and all books and documents, whether in the custody or under the control of a public officer or a body corporate or any other person whatsoever, for the purpose of inspecting any books and documents which the Commissioner or officer considers necessary or relevant for the purpose of collecting any tax or duty under any of the Inland Revenue Acts, or considers likely to provide any information otherwise required for the purposes of any of those Acts, and may, without fee or reward, make extracts from or copies of any such books or documents.

The Commissioner or any officer of the Department authorized by him in that behalf may for the purposes of any investigation under this section require the owner or manager of any property or business which is being investigated, or any other person employed in connection with the property or business, to give him all reasonable assistance in the investigation and to answer all proper questions relating to any such investigation either orally or, if the Commissioner or officer so requires, in writing, or by statutory declaration, and for that purpose may require the owner or manager or, in the case of a company, any officer of the company to attend at the premises with him.

Every person (including any officer employed in or in connection with any Department of the Government or by any public authority, and any other public officer) shall, if required by the Commissioner or by any officer of the Department authorized by him in that behalf, furnish in writing any information and produce any books and documents which the Commissioner or officer considers necessary or relevant for any purpose relating to the administration or enforcement of any of the Inland Revenue Acts, and which may be in the knowledge, possession, or control of that person.

Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this section, it is hereby declared that the information in writing which may be required under this section shall include lists of shareholders of companies, with the amount of capital contributed by and dividends paid to each shareholder, copies of balance sheets and of profit and loss accounts and other accounts, and statements of assets and liabilities.

The Commissioner or any officer of the Department authorized by him in that behalf may require that any written information or particulars furnished under this section shall be verified by statutory declaration or otherwise.

In any case in which the Commissioner deems it necessary to hold an inquiry for the purpose of obtaining any information with respect to the liability of any person for any tax or duty under any of the Inland Revenue Acts or any other information required for the purposes of the administration or enforcement of any of those Acts, he may apply in writing to a Magistrate to hold an inquiry under this section.

For the purposes of any such inquiry the Magistrate may summon before him, and examine on oath touching any matter which is relevant to the subject matter of the inquiry, all persons whom the Commissioner or any other person interested requires to be so called and examined.

The Magistrate shall have all such jurisdiction and authority touching the summoning and examination of any such person as he would have in respect of a witness in a civil action within his ordinary jurisdiction; and the person so summoned and examined shall, subject to the Inland Revenue Acts, have all such rights and be subject to all such liabilities as he would have and be subject to if he were such a witness as aforesaid.

The Commissioner and every person who is interested in the subject matter of the inquiry may be represented by barrister or solicitor, who may examine, cross-examine, and re-examine, in accordance with the ordinary practice, any person so summoned:

Provided that every person so summoned may be cross-examined by the Commissioner or by the Commissioner’s barrister or solicitor.

Every examination under this section shall take place in chambers.

The statement of every person so examined shall be taken down in writing, and signed by him in the presence of the Magistrate, and delivered to the Commissioner, and shall not form part of the records of the Court.

No person summoned or examined under this section shall be excused from answering any question on the ground that the answer may incriminate him or render him liable to any penalty or forfeiture.

No statement made by any such person in answer to any question put to him shall in criminal proceedings be admissible in evidence against him, except upon a charge of perjury against him in respect of his testimony upon that examination.

A person summoned under this section may receive out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for the purpose such sum on account of travelling expenses and loss of time as the Magistrate thinks reasonable and orders accordingly.

The Commissioner may, for the purpose of obtaining any information with respect to the liability of any person for any tax or duty under any of the Inland Revenue Acts or any other information required for the purposes of the administration or enforcement of any of those Acts, by notice in writing, require any person to attend and give evidence before him or before any officer of the Department authorized by him in that behalf, and to produce all books and documents in the custody or under the control of that person which contain or which the Commissioner or the authorized officer considers likely to contain any such information.

The Commissioner may require any such evidence to be given on oath and either orally or in writing, and for that purpose he or the officer authorized as aforesaid may administer an oath.

If any person required to give evidence under this section refuses or wilfully neglects to appear before the Commissioner or authorized officer or to take an oath as witness before the Commissioner or authorized officer, or if any person being sworn as a witness at any such inquiry refuses or wilfully neglects to answer any question put to him touching the subject matter of the inquiry, or to produce to the Commissioner or authorized officer any such document as aforesaid, that person shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

If any person wilfully gives false evidence at any inquiry under this section he shall be guilty of perjury within the meaning of the Crimes Act 1908.

A person required to attend before the Commissioner or an authorized officer may receive out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for the purpose such sum on account of travelling expenses and loss of time as the Commissioner thinks reasonable and orders accordingly.

The Commissioner shall, as soon as practicable after the close of each financial year, furnish to the Minister a report on the administration of the Inland Revenue Acts during the financial year.

Every such report shall be laid before Parliament within twenty-eight days after it has been received by the Minister if Parliament is then in session, and, if not, shall be laid before Parliament within twenty-eight days after the date of the commencement of the next ensuing session.

Every person commits an offence against this Act who—

Every person who commits an offence against this Act for which no other penalty is prescribed shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of fifty pounds.

The Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make regulations for the due administration of the Inland Revenue Acts and for the conduct of all persons concerned in the administration thereof and generally for carrying the Inland Revenue Acts into effect.

Regulations under this section may prescribe fines for offences against the regulations, not exceeding fifty pounds in any case.

The enactments specified in the Second Schedule to this Act are hereby amended in the manner indicated in that Schedule.

All references in any enactment or in any deed, agreement, instrument, notice, or other document whatsoever to the Minister of Stamp Duties shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to be references to the Minister of Finance.