PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5128, 20 May 1927, Page 4

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

“SWEEPING INACC URAC IES.”

CRITICISM REPLIED TO.

Statements contained in a contributed press article dealing with the subject of departmental accounts have provoked a rejoiner from the Post-master-General (Hon. W. Nosworthy), who, in his reply, advises uninformed critics to look before they run to hysterical outbursts, says the Wellington Dominion.

The Postmaster-General stated that his attention had been drawn to the sweeping inaccuracies which appeared in a Wellington paper under the heading “Departmental. Accounts.” He wished to say that, so far as his department was concerned, the position had been entirely misrepresented. In passing, Mr Nosworthy observed that “contributed” matter was generally original, but in the present case the subject matter and tire comment were so closely related to the leading article which appeared in tlie N.Z. Herald of April 28 as to suggest “pirating.”

Mr Nosworthy said he did not wish to enter into the matter at length, but wished to correct mis-statements which might easily mislead the public. “In issuing my statement a few weeks ago,” said the Postmaster-General, “I

mentioned three items—‘revenue,’ ‘expenditure,’ and ‘surplus.’ Anyone with any knowledge of accounting difficulties would realise that a balanbesheet of a department handling over two hundred millions of pounds sterling yearly would not take the form of the statement referred to. The ‘surplus’ was surplus of revenue over expenditure—nothing more. The ‘probe af the exacting actuary’— whatever that may be —mentioned in the article surely shows lack of, experience if any other means than that intended is attached to the three sets of figures disclosed.” Regarding the claim that the Post and Telegraph Department had ignored the direction of the late Mr Massey, and the suggested disrespect for constituted authority and lack of “understanding and enterprise enough to appreciate the value of business methods,” the Minister stated that a properly constituted balance-sheet for the Post and Telegraph Department for the year ended March 31, 1925, was published as a Parliamentary Paper during the 1926 session. The balance-sheet for the year ended March 31, 1926, was passed by the Auditor-General in November, 1926, but owing to the recess it could not be published until Parliament again assembled.

“During this session,” added the Minister, “balance-sheets for my department up to March 31, 1927, will be placed on the table of the House, which indicates that the ‘facts’ contributed are totally misleading.

“I would like to say,'” concluded the Minister, "that criticism is generally of more value than praise ; but uninformed critics should look before they run to hysterical outbursts. A little inquiry would have elicited the information I have given : the figures can only be perused after they have been tabled in the House.”