ACCOUNTANCY

Grey River Argus, 2 May 1938, Page 3

ACCOUNTANCY

GAINS IN PRESTIGE. In his Presidential address at tne annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, Mr. J. Mawson Stewart (Christchurch), remarked that members had good cause to be pleased with the ever-mcreasine prestige of their profession among the general public. “It has been said,” he continued, “that there may be some unobservant persons who stih regard accountants as mere “figuremongers” or cogs of caution on the wheels of but that attitude lags far behind the far-ranging constructive achievements of modern accountancy in industry and commerce throughout the world. “Many men, prominent in public and private affairs in this Dominion and elsewhere, have declared that accountancy has made more notable progress than any other profession during recent years. The growing complexity of modern business called for increasing measures of assistance frem qualified accountants, and they have risen to the need. Their duties require them to make an intelligent study of the statistical structure of industry and commerce so that they may be able to offer reliable advice to the management. “In the early stages of the depression everywhere there was a tendency to expect economists to perform miracles of enlightenment and guidance. As time went on the accountancy profession, which is always in , working touch with realities, was brought more and more into co-op-eration with heads or public and private business and helped in the shaping of new policies. “Our society, holding the confidence of the public, must be ever vigilant . and active for the maintenance of . high stardards of qualifications and service. I think I can say, without • fear of contradiction, thpt the general . standard of conduct ann ability of our L members is in keeping with the stand- : ards of conduct and ability of mem- . hers of our profession in the older 1 countries of the world. “It is pleasing to notice that as the

years roll on, more and more recognition is being given to members of our Society by whatever Government is in power. It is seldom that a Com. mission is appointed to-day without the inclusion of some member of our Society. As a late instance of this, we have the Mortgage Adjustment Commissions, set up all over the Dominion, with an accountant as one of the three members of each particular Commission. “It is an admitted fact that our members in the Public Service have played their part in bringing about sounder accountancy and financial methods. Our members in public practice and private employment have also increased their influences and done their part in the same direction.” After a reference to the Society’s encouragement of research in accountancy subjects, Mr Stewart said he believed the time must come when lhe Society, by means, say, of a bursary, would make it possible for some of the members to go abroad to study and conduct research on some branch of accountancy. In such cases it would be necessary to stipulate that the selected candidates should return to New Zealand so that the special knowledge acquired would not be lost to the Dominion.