SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1840, 28 August 1913, Page 3

SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS.

ANNUAL MEETING. The fourth annual meeting of tho New Zealand Society cf Accountants I ivas held last evening, Mr. Poter Barr, | president, occupying the cliair, and | there was a. representative attendawco I abaut 50 membevs. The president, in. moving the adoption of tho report and (ja/ancc-sheet, congratulated members on meeting for the first time in the society's new hall. With reference to the. membership of tho society, which now stands at 196G, a decrease of 109 for the year, tho speaker said members who had not followed the history of tho society so closely as to havo a clear' recollection of previous reports may havo been rather concerned at this decrease. Ho beliored, hoiyever, that tho report was perfectly right in saying that "the position is neither unexpected nor discouraging." At the annual meeting of 1911, in referring to tho numbgr whose membership had lapsed on acocunt of non-payment of subscription, ho had said that this was just as the committee expected, and had added that numerous removals from tho roll would continue for another year or two. Last year, in referring to this matter, ho mentioned that very few of these were examined men, and that practically all had applied for admission at the initiation of tho society, "under some misapprehension as to its usefulness to themselves." A matter for congratulation was the growth in the proportion of examined men to the total number 011 the roll. 11l expressing pleasure at this increase, he said that 110 must riot bo taken as subscribing to the doctrine that an examined man was necessarily a better accountant than one who had not won admission by examination. He (Mr. Barr) himself never sat for or passed an examination, and it would bo strange if 110 overlooked the valuo of experience, whether in public or private practice. None the less, ill the speaker's opinion, it was an interesting fact that tho examined men wore so clearly coming to the front. It was a fact that for the second time tho society examinations had established a record for accountancy examinations in Australasia, and this might bo taken, he thought, that the arrangement that had been made with the University authorities was highly appreciated by students. He was glad to be able to that with regard to representation of the society on University councils, that the Minister for Education had been approached, and that they now had reason to believe that lie was not unfriendly to the idea. He thought that the Faculty of Commerce (which includes accountancy) should be represented on the professorial boards, as tlio Faculty of Law has recently been granted in Otago. When'these changes come about, they would havo a position ajid influence in connection with tho oducation of students which would •be highly desirable, and when 5 accounting was mado a subject for matrioulation, tho course would be clear for the schoolboy to tho University, and through tho University to an efficient and broadly-based equipment for a career as a public accountant. This would undoubtedly raise tho profession still higher in tho commercial world. The Chartered Societies of Accountants in Britain had not found it possiblo to meet the New Zealand Society in the matter of reciprocity as regards membership and examination, and this was tho result of the restricted constitution of these bodies in that thoy consisted exclusively of public accountants;

In the discussion which ensued mention was mado of the fact that accountancy has not been recognised ns a profession under tho Civil Service Classification Scheme, and that' 110 accountant had been classified in tho professional division merely ■ becauso 110 was an accountant. It was urged that the society had a duty in that it should protect its members by representinc to the Public Service Commissioner -tlio claim that accountancy had to rank as a profession. The special technical knowledge and skill required by a qualified accountant was surely equal to that required in an architect or actuary, two callings that were rated as professions. The administration of deceased persons' estates, for instance, was a matter that largely lay in the hands of tho accountant, and a man with ordinary clerical experience could not bo transferred from, say, the Treasury, Customs; or Post Office Departments of the Civil Service to the office of the Public Trusteo to undcrtako work of this hichl.v technical character.

After further discussion the report and balance-sheet were declared adopted. Th® meeting then confirmed the election of officers to the Council to fill the vacancies caused by retiring members jvhich took place yesterday ■ morning:— Messrs. W. E. Best (Canterbury district), A. T. Clarke (Wellington district), ~\Y. Green (Otago district), E. C. O'Leary (Southland district), and L. M. A. Montenfh (Taranaki district), retiring membens who offered themselves for re-election were re-elected, and Mr. H. C. Tewsley (Auckland district) was elected in the place of Mr. AV. W. Bruce wlio did not seek re-election. The re-election of Messrs. E. R. L. Dymock and James Kellow, as auditors, was also confirmed and their remuneration was fixed at 20 guinoas per year each. The proceedings terminated with eulogistic references to Mr. E. W. Hunt, the society's secretary, and to the retiring president, Mr. P. Barr. The Council of the Society meets this mornine at. 10 o'clock.