ACCOUNTANCY NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 77, 29 September 1915, Page 11

ACCOUNTANCY NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING

i The annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Accountants was held last night at Accountants' Chambers. Mr. James Brown, president, occupied the chair. The annual report of the council stated that the membership was 1857, as against 1907 a year ago, a decrease of fifty. The process of elimination by resignation and by removal for non-pay-ment of subscription was less than in previous years, but many of those originally admitted by the Registration Board continued to drop out. Admissions by examination continued, however, and if could* not be said that the society was in any way weakened. Reference was made to the number of members of the society who had gone or were about to leave for the front. During the year the council considered the arrangements for the preliminary examination. It was Ultimately decided that no sufficient reason had been adduced to justify the council in deciding to make any change at present in the arrangements for the society's preliminary examination, but the members of the Executive Committee were instructed to keep before them the advisability of seeking to procure improvements in the preliminary examination", and to secure direct representation on the University Senate. The fourth professional examination was held in November, when 282 candidates pre"sented themselves. Only forty-four candidates completed the full course of the examination. At a supplementary examination in May there were thirty-eight candidates, of whom six were successful. As a result of a meeting between the Examination Committee and lecturers in accountancy at the University colleges, followed by recommendations to the University Senate, some desirable anc l important changes were made in the details of the professional examinations. Grants amounting in all to £550 had been made during the year towards the University colleges, the Incorporated Institute of Accountants of New" Zealand contributing £100. A monthly publication, Accountancy and Commerce, had been made the official orga|\ of the society. The income and expenditure account^-of the head office disclosed a surplus for the year of £442 17s 2d. and the accumulated fund stood at £3537 3s 9d. In moving the adoption of the annual report, the chairman reviewed at great length the events of the year, detailing particularly the work done by the council in watching" the interests of its members in regard to preliminary examinations — and University status — membership, legislation, and other matters. He v emphasised the statement that the society's connection with the University had, in its general features, proved desirable, .and should on no account be broken. The president's references to the war ?j-e reported elsewhere. The motion' for the adoption of the report and accounts was seconded by Mr. J. S. Barton, and carried after some discussion. All retiring , councillors had been elected unopposed, except for the districts of South Canterbury and Marl-borough-Nelson-Westland. Mr. John E. Hutcheson, who was elected unopposed for South Canterbury, and Mr. E. J. Harvey, re-elected for Marlborough-Nel-son-Westlari9, were welcomed by the ' president. Messrs. E. R. Dymock and James Kellow were re-elected auditors.