Gulf. Its taxable profit was therefore correspondingly greater than had been declared by Europa, and its taxable income was therefore increased accordingly for all the tax years 1959–1965. The extra tax demanded from Europa was over £NZ2,000,000. Inland Revenue considered that the Pan Eastern arrangement amounted to an evasion of tax. Europa disputed this. After hearings in the High Court and the Court of Appeal the issue went to the Privy Council (at that time New Zealand's highest court) which decided in Inland Revenue's favour (in a split 3-2 decision). In 1971, on the basis of the Privy Council decision, the Inland Revenue claimed the extra tax and accrued penalties in respect of the tax years 1959-1965 (a total of $NZ6,714,829.34) which was paid and claimed for the tax years 1966-1971 (the latter years were not part of the case). Europa objected in respect of the years 1966–1971. After High Court and Court of Appeal decisions, the matter ended up again before the Privy Council. This time the Privy Council (split 4-1) decided for Europa Oil accepting that the arrangements for 1965-1971 were different from those for 1959–1965. (A new company, Todd Refining, had been interposed and had the obligation to purchase from Pan Eastern, Europa itself had no obligation to buy any product from Todd Refining, and the Privy Council did not go behind the corporate veil to look at the reality of Todd family ownership interest in these entities.) This led to a different conclusion. Europa received a tax refund of $NZ4,000,000. "Bryan [Todd] and his team ... had carried on the fight through 13 years and six court hearings". "As Bryan [Todd] was fond of quoting, 'The meek and the humble of heart shall inherit the earth. But the strong and the brave are the ones you put your money on!'". Other interests An active sportsman, Todd was a director of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, the company formed by skiing enthusiasts to develop the Whakapapa ski fields on Mount Ruapehu, and listed shooting, sailing and golf as other interests. A Wellington City Councillor from 1941 till 1946 and airport committee chairman from 1943 till 1946, Todd privately and anonymously supported many charities as well as publicly chairing the Todd Charitable Trust established in 1960 and the Todd Foundation which followed in 1972. Both bodies give annual support to medical research, youth organisations, cultural and educational groups, the elderly,