Christchurch earthquake: Rebate sought to spur donors  By Maria
Slade  Gumboots were donated to clean-up volunteers. Photo /
Brett Phibbs  Jeff Owens is doing his bit for Christchurch.  The
Wellington tax agent is using his professional know-how to lobby
for a change in the law that allows tax deductions on donations
of goods.  Under the current rules, cash donations are eligible
for a 28c-in-the-dollar tax rebate, whereas donations in kind
get nothing.  It's a matter of being equitable, Owens says.  "If
you donate $1 million you get a rebate. But you donate $1
million of your trading stock, be it refrigerators, chemical
toilets, building materials or whatever, then that trading stock
is deemed to have been sold for market value."  Officials would
need to spend some time making the rule change work - "you don't
want people to be donating a container-load of expired yoghurt"
- but even a deduction on the cost-price of goods may encourage
businesses to give more.  He believes the change should be
backdated to t