COMMERCIAL MORALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19001, 25 October 1923, Page 11

COMMERCIAL MORALITY.

RELATION OF EDUCATION

SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS' LUNCHEON. The Society of Accountants’ luncheon, which was held in tho Savoy Tea-rooms yesterday, was attended by over 50 members of tho society, together with their guests, the Hon. C. E. Statham and Professor Thompson. At the conclusion of the luncheon Professor Thompson addressed the members briefly on the “Relation of Education to Commercial Morality." In his opening remarks he referred to tho lowered moral standard of to-day compared with that of the Victorian era, and he drew attention to the fact that tho world is becoming non-moral, and that in tho intellectual sphere it is becoming more and more inefficient. “One scarcely over opens a paper without reading an account of some young fellow or some official embezzling his employer’s money,” ho said. “If wo ae cept tins as tho true position of the world to-day, it is our duty to find out tho cause and seek the remedy. It is often claimed that we are suffering from the aftermath of the war, but it is question able whether the war is solely responsible for tho lowered commercial morality. The question of money is affecting our moral and mental outlook to a far greater extent than it did in the Victorian ora. In that ago money was not regarded as the goal. The value wo place on money has a marked effect on the mind. Whatever the causes are we have to search for a remedy, and it is possible for each of us to assist. If we reflect on the trcmendoiis_ power ot education, we realise that there is no power on the face ot the earth equal to it. There is no more pure and holy thing in tho world than a child’s mind. It comes into the world with a clear, receptive mind which may be moulded and educated. Edu cation has got to bo defined: one often hears it described as instruction, but this arises from confusion. Education is not instruction, nor is instruction education; each is necessary, hut education should nob bo neglected with a. view to securing greater facilities for instruction. There is a fight going on; it has not vet reached its fiercest point—it is a fight between the ideals of education and instruction. Instruction may make a man learned, but education makes him wise. Instruction does not set a high ethical standard—instruction deals with things, hut education deals with persons, with men’s minds and motives. America has gono_ in for instruction. but now it is realising its mistake. If a hoy or man has no background to his moral nature, if his i-.md is not filled with ideals gathered from the lives of great men, he is like a tree without roots to save it from being bjown out of the ground. If his education is so arranged that his mind is not full of great ethical truths and mental pictures of what other men have done in similar crises, he is at a marked disadvantage. It is therefore our duty to see that wo retain in education this ethical trend if we are to build up a sound moral tone in commercial life. If ever yoif are tempted to introduce into your schools only those things that are useful I ask you to set your faces against it—there are nobler things in education that utilitarian ideals. ’ Mr Peter Barr briefly thanked the speaker for his lecture, and expressed a wish on behalf of the society to have an opportunity of hearing Professor Thompson when tho time available would permit of a fuller lecture being given. Mr Statham thanked the society for its invitation to him to he present, .and expressed his pleasure at listening to Professor Thompson’s able address. At tho conclusion of the luncheon, Mr Hogg (chairman) took tho opportunity of congratulating Mr Spence, on behalf of tho society, on his securing tho appointment as secretary to the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company.