IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 285, 2 December 1938, Page 8

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

NAVAL OFFICERS.

ENCOURAGE NEW ZEALANDERS.

(To the Editor.)

I notice that at the civic farewell to the officers and men of H.M.S. Achilles reference was made by the Mayor to the large proportion of Xew Zealand rating in the cruiser. He rightly said that it is a matter of gratification Commodore fileimie, in his reply, paid a tribute to "the finest body of officers and men" that he could wish for. This, too. is gratifying But does it never occur to anyone to wonder why no encouragement is offered to Xew Zea landers to liewme naval officers as well as naval ratings? I know that if opportunity were offered there would be more than enough applicants. The difficulty, of course, is that officers are trained in England—but ther are also trained in Australia. Why is. it" uqj possible for Xew Zealanders to be trained in Australia for the Xavy, as some are trained at Duntroon for the Army ?

CURIOUS.

ACCOUNTANCY EXAMINATIONS.

It was not my intention to enter into this controversy until reading the remarks of Mr. .1. M. Elliffe, who replied on behalf of the Xew Zealand Society of Accountants in your issue of Saturday last. He has not replied to one question asked by your correspondents, unless generalisation can be called replying. Apparently his society does not realise the extent of the discontent which is felt thronghont Xew Zealand. This being so, it shows that the society is completely out of touch with accountancy matters. Therefore, the sooner the society loses its monopoly, the sooner the "racket," as some people call it, will cease. It is a recognised fact by accountants and accountancy students that there is a close corporation and that the doors are virtually closed. This is proved by the quoted by your correspondent ''Fair Play" in the ['•Stat - ' oil Xovember 23. and which, incidentally. have not been contradicted by Mr. Elliffe. [There is a provision in the 1933 Companies Act lin clause 140. sub-clause 2, for other accoun- [ tancy bodies to be recognised in Xew Zealand, but will Mr. Elliffe inform the public as to why the Xew Zealand Society of Accountants during past years has bitterly opposed this clause being* brought into effect when •by the wording of the Act it was intended to be made use of? Will Mr. Elliffe answer these questions? INTERESTED.

One of your latest correspondents on accountancy examinations is "Unqualified by One," which means, I presume, that be cannot ?ret past either Bookkeeping 111. or Auditing. When he says, then, that he knows several of the most prominent instructors in the country and they make no secret of the fact that the papers are grossly unfair and absurdly marked over a iong period of time, he surely must mean the subject he cannot pass, because I know of lots of papers that have been eminently fair. "A Father"—l think it must be a different one— has also been conferring with instructors, and has found one who disagrees definitely with Mr. Elliffe. Now, I have been a bookkeeping instructor for accountancy examinations for the past six years—l 933-4 Bookkeeping 1., and 1935-8 Bookkeeping 11., nearly 400 students passing through my hands in that period-' I am quite satisfied with the treatment my students have received. I feel that lam qualified by experience to make some observations on the subjects that I myself have taught. Here they are: (a) In some years the papew have not been sufficiently difficult, permitting a percentage of candidates to go forward who were ill-prepared for promotion, and thus making it very hard for them to deal with more advanced work, as they had not thoroughly mastered the elementary principles, (b) A definite percentage of the candidates, say, 25 per cent—not less—have no chance at all, not having done an honest year's work, but sitting, as they so naively put it, "for the experience." (c) Another percentage, I would say 20 per cent, have not put their whole heart into the year's work. They have made no real sacrifice* for the cause of learning. If class attendance or homework interferes with pleasure, they know which to cut out. (d) I have found that those student who deserve Ito pass almost invariably do so, while those who have not done the work almost invariably fail. With surprising regularity examiner* have confirmed my own opinion of the merits of individual students. Others may speak for their own subjects, but this is my own personal experience. I would also add that lam more than satisfied with the Bookkeeping 11. I papers this year. Regarding scaling of marks, which "Unqualified by One" says is openly admitted by responsible heads of the society, II think he should name them, as I haw not heard of any such admissions. I have often heard the remark from students, but newer from responsible members. This letter is not to whitewash the society, and I am not in a position to say that every individual paper jever set was fair and reasonable, but some [of your correspondents have gone 'beyond the ■bounds of fair criticism. I wMI conclude by saying also that students are often far more frank with their instructor about causes of failure than they might be to either father or mother. " J. RAE.

[This correspondence is now closed, save for a further reply by the Accountants' Association if it cares to make it.—Ed.]

PUBLIC WORKS.

May I reply to "Hard Facte" regarding Public Works ? He states that not all the men can he placed, on piecework, only those who are working on a cutting or something that involves measurement can.possibly he so employed. Well, I have heen oil the Public Works for eight years and I have never yet heen on a job controlled by the Public Works Department where every class of work was not done on piecework, and I have always earned more than £4 per week. I have earned and been paid up to 4/3 per hour. '"Hard Facts'' also wants to remember that living conditions are far better than they have been under any other Government, and we always got the best of service from the storekeepers. "Hard Facts" says he was in camp on one of the jobs for ten months—that is not long enough to harden the skin on the hands. Perhaps he would like £G a week where he could weed a garden and be able to wear gloves. PUBLIC WORKS.

NAVAL PENSIONS

The Hon. F. E. Lark, M.L.C., is stated to have said that he hoped that when the naval ratings' time was tip they would return to New Zealand to be welcomed as worthy citizens of a worthy country. He omitted to point out that they wouid be more than welcome if they were in receipt of a pension (i.e., back )>ay), for then, if they wen; lucky enough to be in constant work. tli<? worthy country would ask them to pay about 1,9 income tax on back pay, 1/ social security tax; also they will have had deducted Od (apprnx.) in tile i'niied Kingdom fur in.-miie tax. So they t«ooii will, like t"iu ro«t of the Imperial pensioners, be wondering how soon they will have to pay in, instead of di awing out, for the privilege of serving one's own country for a period of at least 22 years.

LATE CHIEF STOKIR, F._S".