LONG SERVICE RECOGNISED.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20024, 4 September 1930, Page 12

LONG SERVICE RECOGNISED.

MR W. E. BEST HONOURED.

ACCOUNTANTS' SOCIETY'S *

TRIBUTE.

Having completed 21 years of service ls a member of the Council of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, Mr W. E. Best, of the Christchurch accountancy firm of Best and Wilkinson, resigned from his position, at the meeting of the Council held last week in Wellington. Mr Best has been a Council member continuously since the Society's inception, and lias been recommended by the Council for life membership of the Society. The services rendered by Mr Best were' recognised by the presentation to him from the Council of a silver tea-set and entree dish, engraved with the following inscription: "Presented to W. E. Best, by the Council of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, on his retirement after tl\e completion of twenty-one years of continuous service on the Council."

The Council has also recorded its appreciation of Mr Best 'a work by passing the following resolution: — "The Council accepts with regret bis resignation, and desires to place on record its appreciation of his services as Councillor for the period of 21 years since the Council's inception. During the whole of that period, Mr Best has i taken the keenest interest in the affairs of the Society. He has on two occasions occupied with distinction the position of President. His vtfde practical experience and knowledge of accountancy in all-its aspects have made him a very valuable member .of the Council, and his resignation is a very real loss to the Society." Mr Best was elected a Council member after the incorporation of the Society on ' September 15th, 1908, .when Mr Peter Barr, of Dunedin, held the office of President., In 1920 and 1925 Mr Best was himself President, and was at the time of his .retirement the only member of the original Council who still held office. The membership roll of the Society in 1908 stood- at 2146, said Mr Best yesterday in the course of conversation with a representative of Thb Peess. It now stood at 1847,. though the apparent drop in numbers was explained by the fact that many of those who first joined up were old men at the time, and many others had dropped out through lack of interest. "The present membership consists only of those who show a keen interest, and are fully qualified accountants," said Mr Best. A special feature of the Society's work had been its educational activities, and grants had been made from time to time to the four colleges of the New Zealand University. Along with the Government subsidies, the Society had given directly a sum 11 of over £IO,OOO. The Society's education syllabus aimed at a thorough education in accountancy and commercial law and the production of well trained and qualified accountants. A few years ago, said Mr Best, on the suggestion of Mr Ernest W. Hunt, who was the Society's secretary for its first ten years, it was decided to establish a benevolent fund to assist members or their dependents who were in distressed circumstances. The capital of this fund now stood at £7OOO, and this, together with the present sound financial position of the Society, was the result of 21 years of steady progress. • .. Mr Best's successor as a Council member is Mr J. Mawson Stewart, of Christchurch. Mr W. A. Smith, a lecturer in accountancy at Canterbury College, who has been Mr Best's colleague on the Council for a number of years, still holds office. .