PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 125, 19 February 1921, Page 7

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Sir,—Referring to the new order from the Treasury to Government Dej>artinents, mentioned in yesterday's Dominion, respecting the preparation, of balance-sheets, I may remark that it is about time that the public accounts were placed on a commercial and understandable basis. Occasionally in the past changes in the system have been mooted, but as very few, if any, of our Parliamentarians have, any idea or knowledge of accountancy work, the present complicated Government system of bookkeeping has been allowed to continue, and has not received that attention which it deserves with a view to a change for the tetter. One or two of the Departments certainly keep their accounts in proper form, and on a commercial system, so that he who runs may read, notably the Government Life Insurance and the State Fire Departments, but with many of the others a simplification and improvement in the. system are highly desirable. It does- seem absurd that revenue-earn-ing Departments should have to pay moneys into the public account and their officers receive salaries from the Treasury. The course which commends itself to an outsider in such cases is that the Department should pay its own way out of revenue and account for the balance to the Treasury say monthly. If the Department is not a revenueearning one, then the Treasury should grant an imprest out of which expenditure would he met and the balance accounted for in the usual way. Under a proper system of book-keeping there would be no difficulty in arriving at the services rendered by one branch of the State to another. If a Department is not debited with the work done for it by another branch a correct and reliable balance-sheet* is impossible. I believe that in connection with the Postal Department the cost of buildings and repairs are charged to Public Works. This, if correct, is, to say the least, confusing. A proper statement of accounts on a sound commercial basis is highly desirable in the case of all Government Departments, otherwise their actual position is a mere matter of speculation. I venture to add that, in my opinion, it would greatly benefit tho Dominion if the Government were to engage the very best accountant available and gave him a free hand to place the public accounts, and book-keeping system, on a clear and satisfactory footing.—l am, etc., SCOTTY. February 18, 1921.