STATE ACCOUNTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 6

STATE ACCOUNTS

Our Own Correspondent.)

Simpler and More Concise Form AUDIT OFFICE'S PLAN

(From

WELLINGTON, Tliis Day. Tbe' Opinion tbat a considerable amount of delay in the publication of the annual accounts could be avoided by the Treasury's observance of the statutory reqmrements, and by more | timely action on the part of the departnients, is expressed by the Controller and Auditor-General, Mr. J. H. Fowler, in his report to Parliament for the- 1936-37 financial year, which was presented in the House of Representatives to-day. The Audit Office, he said, was anxious to assist the Government in every possible way by expediting the pubhcation of the public accounts, . and by ' dealing with them as promptly as possible. Mr, Fowler said that one of the reasons that had been offered for the delay in the publication of the annual aecounts, was that the audited figures were not available. This statement might reasonably give rise to an impression that the delay was attributable largely- to the work of examination,' and not- to the inethod of public accounting in New Zealand, which, in actual faet, was the reason for the late yresentation of the figures. The Treasury, said Mr. Fowler, had under consideration a scheme for amalgamating' certain particularB in the ab--stract of public accounts and publisking a simpler, and more concise form that would show elearly the main features of the year's operations. "Apart from the form- of condefising accounts," Mr. Fowler continued, "it 'is sound financial policy to establish more efifective Parliamentary oontrol and criticism over Government expenditure, b(y appropriating gramts annually." Mr. Fowler said the method of treating exchange in tbe public accounts was still unsatisfactory.