ACCOUNTANT STUDENTS' SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 14628, 26 July 1911, Page 10

ACCOUNTANT STUDENTS' SOCIETY.

The fortnightly meeting of the Dunfdii Accountant Students' Society was held at tin Chamber uf Commerce, Mr A. D. Speuci (president) presiding over a large attendance of members. Three ten-minute papers were delivered b 1 Messrs \V. Green, H. 11. Henderson, and J G. Patterson. Mr Green opened, hi.? subjec being —' Fo~warding Freight.'— An incident of recent importance to im pcrters—namely, the st 'anding of the s.s Aotca near Cape Town, whilst on a voyag< from Great Britain to >k\v Zealand—sug posted to Mr Green the suTicct of his pr.petit was at first expected that the ship ant carjo would be totally lost. However, it \va: siibtequent.lv found possible to rcmovo mos : of the cargo—v large part of it in riarcased condition —which was taken to Cap, Town" ;:nd brought on io the Dominion b' ether .steamer*. On all the cargo brought on from Cape Town the agents of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company, the owners o' ihe Aotea deraar.ded payment of freight notwithstanding that practically m even case freitrht for the voyage from Great Kri tain to "New Zealand had already been pre paid. sr> that, having already paid for th< transport of his gouds to the Dominion, the impoiter four.d himself called upon to meel another claim for freight before lie could go! .-irhvery of his property. Many people weuilc say tin; the shipowner, hnving been paid fo> his services, should he eonipTlcd to carry nul his contract, to land the goods in New Zealand; but here is a case where, apparently, he contends that he is absolved from com eicting hi* contract, a.id is not ettilcd upon to refund remuneration paid to bun in ad-i-iiifp tor a contract which' he has not completed. Under ordinary <;ireiuns;ances neithei party can. withdraw. Mr Green quoted the icuhng authorities in reference between the shipowner and a person who puts goods on heard to bo carries! on freight. —Municipal Accounts.— Mr 11. H. Henderson (city treasurer') took is his subject "Municipal Accounts." He dealt with all (he large trading concerns of rdv City Corporation, illustrating his subject wiiii examples of the departmental books u=cd for irnmwav, gas. electric power, rates, etc.. sinking funds, renewal funds, and deputation. 'The methods of :ie■•umulnting 'he sinking fund? were fu! : y explained, and a comparison of the nietimds of Wellington and Christcluireh Corporations with the system of Dunedin were gone into. All the corporation accounts, hj" explained, were kc fit en the ; 'double entry system."' and the results of the trading of each department wee obtained in a manner similar to that of a limited liability company. Mr J. G. Patterson's paper was on —' Executorship Notes."— The lecturer said that the points arising in connection with accounts are fiany -ind varied. tic fp'st followed the imaginary cxpe-rienccs of an executor of an estate in a cis'- where tli* l iit'e estate was i'tr to the widow, tile estate uhimalely falling to be divided between th" children of the iestator. Royalty on coal and other examples tvrre given, and the dutits and responsibilities >f an executor dealt with. I pon the moti-n of Mr J. Coucliman a •leany votp of thanks was aceorebd to the ■ •crtirers for their valuable and in-mtcl-'tve