U.K. “Determined” To Join E.E.C.

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31497, 11 October 1967, Page 1

U.K. “Determined” To Join E.E.C.

New Zealand should accept as soon as possible that Britain cannot “go it alone” in the future and is determined in her own interests to enter the European Economic Community, according to the president of the New Zealand Society of Accountants (Mr B. F. Anderson, of Christchurch).

“My impression is that Britain has lost confidence and realises that she cannot go it alone?' he said in an interview yesterday. “In her own interests she is determined to enter the EE.C. We may get hurt in the process, but it is up to us as soon as possible to accept this fact and con4

tinue to adjust our own overseas trade and economy to meet the changed situation.” Mr Anderson has just returned to New Zealand after attending overseas conferences for accountants, travelling 30,000 miles during a trip lasting 64 days. He said he felt that New Zealand could not “go it alone” in the future, either. Internationalism of finance was most important in world affairs at present—and it was a world of finance, he said.

Accountants in New Zealand should ensure they were all well trained to give the greatest help possible to management ind so provide the services needed. They should also be masters of the application of the computer, a field in which dramatic developments were now taking place. Asked about the relative stability of world currencies, Mr Anderson said he still believed the Australian economy was as sound as any in the world. In Australia and in other countries throughout the

world, he had continually been asked when New Zealand planned a closer economic and political link with Australia. Mr Anderson attended an international congress held in Paris and attended by 2300 accountants from September 5 to 12. Forty-seven countries were represented. He also attended conferences in London and Toronto, and met chartered accountants’ organisations in Japan, the Netherlands. Australia, Britain, Ireland, and the United States. One of the highlights of his overseas visit was a meeting with the professor in charge of the faculty of economics at the old university in Moscow.

“He made a special visit from where he was holidaying to see me, and we had a most interesting discussion through an interpreter on aspects of economic planning and on bursaries for students and other topics,” Mr Anderson said.

Unemployment rates had been discussed, and the pro-

fessor had outlined Russian plans for more individual incentives for the workers. The scheme had been introduced to 900 producing organisations already, and 4000 more organisations would participate next year.

“The whole economy is to be based on an incentive scheme for workers,” said Mr Anderson.

Competition at the universities was keen, he added. At the new university in Moscow, there were 42,000 students. If they did not pass terms, they were excluded from the university.

The Japanese economy was booming, Mr Anderson said. “They have a population of 100 m and are still having to import labour.to meet the demand," he said. The Belgian economy was also expanding with the injection of United States capital. The same thing was happening in Dublin, where big investment from Germany and the United States was proving of benefit to the economy.