MORE CONTROL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32300, 16 August 1943, Page 4

MORE CONTROL

URGED BY MR SUTHERLAND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING REPORT OF AUDITOR-GENERAL There should be a tightening up in the general control, though he agreed that the setting-up of so many , new departments during, the war might bo expected to entail some irregularities, said Mr A. S. Sutherland, M.P. for Hauraki, discussing departmental accounts in the House of Representatives. Mr Sutherland said that the departmental report gave an .instance where a recent inspection of a bulk store at Trentham, where the accounting methods should be simple, disclosed a number of discrepancies. There was an instance of the failure to charge a manufacturer with cloth sent to him to be . made - into garments, the) amount involved being £soo'.

Another instance given was of ledger cards not showing the correct stock position and that the stocks. issued and on hand did not balance.

Another criticism in the Auditor’s report was that in spite of the large amount of money and energy expended in keeping store records, they had little value, did not provide safeguards against misappropriation, and little assistance to the services was given to enable them to arrive at the stocks available and future requirements.

Such instances were very disurbing and he thought it would be a good thing if the Auditor General’s report were read and some of his suggestions were put into operation with a view to better control.

He congratulated the Auditor-Gen-eral on the report and the work of his department.