NATIONAL PLANNING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21707, 14 February 1936, Page 22

NATIONAL PLANNING

THE MODERN TREND

“When reviewing the outlook 12 months ago, we Ventured the opinion that planning would be the keynote of the future, and subsequent events have confirmed our prophecy,” states the New Zealand “Accountants’ Journal.” “The establishment of the National Mortgage Corporation and the extension of powers to the Dairy Industry Commission, to say nothing of other legislation, all show the trend towads the §tate taking a more active part in future in the economy and social welfare of the people of New Zealand. “As the new Labour Government, is pledged to far-reaching changes in cur monetary and economic-system, it would appear that scientific national planning will occupy an even greater place in the scheme of things than we contemplated a year ago. A gratifying feature is that the new Prime Minister and his colleagues have stated that they are not going to rush blindly into new schemes and policies without a thorough and careful, examination of all the factors involved. “A planned economy where produce tion has to be nicely balanced against consumption, and the business cycle flattened out, is not conceivable without a highly perfected and elaborate system of statistical. ahd accounting controls. The need for skilful gathering and recording of business data, and particularly the ability properly to interpret such data, promise to offer, much greater scope for accountants in the days which lie 'ahead. It must be remembered, too, that the' range of our professional duties is constantly widening, and it is essential that knowledge and experience should keep pace with reqifltements. In addition to a thorough graSp of accountancy principles, the successful accountant „will be found to possess sound judgment, tact, discretion, and vision. These qualities cannot be learned in a day, but rather comprise a lifetime’s, study and development.”