SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 12

SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS.

The Teport of the council, to to presented at the first annual general meeting of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, to be held in the Hall of the Institute of Engineers, corner of Mulgrave and'Aitken Streets, Wellington, on Wednesday,' August 17, states:—The position of the membership at June 30, 1910, was: Admissions by the Registration Board, - 2110, less resignations 2, and deaths 4; add admissions under Sub-section 1 (b) of Section 23 of the- Act. -30; total membership at June 30, 1810, 2146. At the first meeting of the council, held on December 7, 1903. Mr. Peter Barr, of Dunedin, was elected president; Mr. Henry Cromwell Tewslcy, of Wellington, was elected vice-president; and Mr. John Saxon Barton, of Wellington, was elected treasurer. At the same meeting, Mr. Ernest William Hunt, of Wellington, .wis appointed secretary. The treasurer, Mr. Barton, left for England on a holiday trip on February 11 last, and was granted leave of absence by the council. Mr. A. •T.-Clarke is acting as-treasurer meantime. At its first meeting, the council appointed an Executive and Finance Committee, comprising the. president, vicepresident, and Wellington representatives on the council, with power to transact urgent business between council meetiugs. This committee has hold nine meetings. The general meeting of members, for the purpose of adopting the mniu regulations, was held in Wellington on June 9, 1910, Mr. T. Young, the society's solicitor, being in attendance. The draft regulations were submitted and adopted, with but slight alteration, and were, on July 8, duly approved of by tho Governnr-in-Council, and have thus become legally operative. Acting upon the instructions contained in a resolution proposed and carried with practical unanimity at the general meeting, the members of ' the council waited as a deputation on t,he Prime Minister, with a request that the Companies Act should be amended in the direction of providing that the accounts of public companies registered uniier the Companies Act, 1908, should be audited by public accountants. .The president and Mr. Howarth, of Auckland, addressed the Prime Minister, and Sir Joseph Ward expressed . his sympathy with the request and undertook to bring it under the consideration of the Government. By virtue of a special clause in the regulations, the council have been given power to make such arrangements for an examination in October, 191(1. as it deemed desirable. Arrangements have accordingly been made to conduct this examination with the assistance of • tlia samo examiners, and under similar conditions, to.the joint examination of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants of New Zealand, and New Zealand Accountants' and Auditors' Association, held in 1909. The papers in bookkeeping and accounts (two papers) and auditing wiU be.set by the Examining Committee of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants, Victoria, and the four legal subjects by Professor Richmond, of Wellington, and Mr. J. M E. Garrow. M.A., LL.8.... of Dunedin. It is also provided in the regulations that a candidate who fails to secure sufficient marks to entitle him to a full pass, but who obtain:, a minimum of 45 per cent, of marks in four specified subjects, shall be granted an "inter.mediate" pass, and shall bo eligible .to sit for- the final examination in 1911. Ar? rangemcuts have been made whereby this society will complete the partial passes granted by the older bodies in 1909. Early in the yeai the council invited competitive designs for a coat of arms and common seal. A suitable design has been adopted, together with the motto— "Sompor et übique fidelis." local brandies have already, been formed in several centres, and it' is the intention of the council to encourage the formation of local branches in other centreswithout drlaj*. ''inform hv-Isws for cn« regulation of the same will shortly be drafted, and submitted for approval to: the respective centres.- As soon as these branches are properly established, the question of the inauguration of local libraries will engage the attention of tho council. As the regulations provide, that present .members of the council re-. main in office until tho annual meeting in 1911, there will be no election for S'.-ats on the council this year. In accordance with Regulation 143, the council has appointed Mr. John Laurence Amis and Mr. Robert Wilberfoss, both of Wellington, to. audit the accounts for the period ended Juno 30, 1910. These gentlemen are eligible, and offer themselves for re-election. The following additional nominations have been received, viz.: Mr. Herman Bicknell, Mr. Duncan M'Kay, and Mr. Herbert Douglas Vinkery. . The accounts for the period under r.eview, duly audited, arc annexed lo this report. It will be noted that the child' item of income is the amount of ,£l9ll 18s. 3d. 'handed over to the council by the Registration Board,- being the total receiDts on applications under the principal' Act, .£246G 16s. Gd., less .£221 lis., fees refunded to refused applicants, and tin sum of £333 7s. 3d., being the expenses incurred by the board in carrying out its duties.