ACCOUNTANCY BILL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 71

ACCOUNTANCY BILL

GOVERNMENT ASKER TO FATHER THE MEASURE. A deputation of members of the Institute of Accountants waited upon Sir Joseph Ward, with reference to a bill which provides for the recognition of the profession of accountancy, and of which mention was made in the address of the president (Air P. Barr) at the annual general meeting on Wednesday afternoon. The deputation was introduced by Mr J. A. Millar, M.H.R., who explained that the second reading of the bill had been blocked. The time had elapsed when it would be likely to go through as a private members bill, and the deputation now wished the Government to take charge of the measure. Air P. Ran* said the only chance of getting the bill through was for the Government to take it in hand. The deputation wished it clearly understood that they were not advocating the measure in their own interests, but in the interests of the public, who every year were investing their capital more and more in public companies. Similar legislation to that which they were asking had been granted in the Transvaal, and a hill to the same effect was uoav before the Tasmanian Parliament. Messrs Fisher, Hill, and W. R. Holmes also spoke in favour of the bill. The latter said the measure had been printed and circulated, and had met with general approval, and would be found to be a most liberal measure.

Mi* W. W. Brown said it was only * possible for such a measure to be passed in a young country. Accountants had been trying to get such a bill passed in England for many years, and had never been able to get it through. An opportunity existed now that might not occur later on, when the population became much larger.

Mr* Millar, M.H.R., said that before Sir Joseph replied he would like to mention that he had “sounded” all the members, and bad discovered no opposition to the bd 7 .. Sir Joseph Ward said be was fairly familiar with the contents of the bill, in the provisions of which, on the whole, be concurred. He could not, of course, speak for other members of the Cabinet, and, therefore, could express no definite opinion on behalf of the Government. It was getting fairly late in the session, and there w*as an enormous piessure of work, and before the Government took up the bill it would have to he considered, and would possibly undergo slight alterations. Without committing himself in any way, be said if the measure was taken up by the Government he would do bis best to facilitate its passage through the House.