CHECKING DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 4

CHECKING DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS

With a shortage of staff and the necessity for conserving supplies of paper the annual return giving departmental balance-sheets and statements of accounts has been considerably reduced, lhe items excluded in 1940-41 were, for the most part, those that did not relate to departmental activities, or those classified as non-essential subsidiary accounts.” It was explained that most of these particulars were printed in other Parliamentary papers and that a supplement to be issued later would include the remainder of the departmental balance-sheets, The need for economy and the difficulties created by the shortage of staffs will be readily admitted, but it is essential that particulars of the financial activities of the various State departments should be readily available. A return classified as a supplement to that of 1941 has now been issued, but it does not contain one-third of the accounts previously listed, for inclusion. Unless it is intended to publish a further supplement then accounts relating to some of the important activities of the Dominion will not be available. The return. recently issued is devoted largely to various accounts under the Native Department, but those included in the list promised last year, and missing fi om this supplement, include the accounts of the Departments of Agriculture, Health, Internal Affairs, Justice, Social Security and Transport. There are many reports and minor accounts that could be i educed or excluded for the time being, but it is essential that details iclating to what might be termed major departments should continue to be made available in comparable form, together with the brief but pertinent comment on matters to which the Auditor-General on occasions deems it necessary to draw attention.