The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNK 3, 1914. BOOK-KEEPING FOR FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 3 June 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNK 3, 1914. BOOK-KEEPING FOR FARMERS.

Tu the" cnurse of a speech in the Maiia- | vain the other (lay, Mr. J. J. Wilson, President of tho Fanners' Union, made an interesting statement regarding the necessity for better business methods in tlie keeping of accounts 011 farms. Very few farmer* kept books. They do not like t-liein; they prefer to attend to tho operation* iu the field, being content to learn their financial position from tho Bank occasionally. It is a mistaken idea, and should bo discarded at once. Farming'" work is a business like any other undertaking, and should be conducted mi business lines. Otherwise, tho fanner nuy lose, and lose heavily. There U 110 excu.se for ignorance of book-keep-ing nuw-a-days, for there nre several publication.? on the market in which are specially devised systems for the keeping of, fanners' accounts. They are very simple and easily followed, and if followed would put pounds and pounds ' 1:10 the rockets of farmers. But if we are to believe iii* Wilson, a change is coming over the fanner in this connection. A few years ago business men told the fai mer: "You are not accustomed to business; leave that to us. Your pari, is to turn out as much a3 possible from your land. We can dispose of it on the best terms." And so long as a reasonable profit was taken, for the. time it suited very well. Now, the farmer sees the bunks paying huge dividends and increasing thuir reserve funds, and charging them 10s a year for keeping their accounts; insurance companies piling up profits and reserve funds; merchants likewise showing huge profits. ''l do not think the farmer grudges them all this, but it naturally makes him ask, why should we not combine and ilo our own business? The dairy companies pointed the way. The older dairying men have got a grasp of business, the directors of tho many companies in _\ T ew Zealand are begi ining to understand accounts, their meetings teach them business habits, and they see that, collectively, they can do much better ih:i:i individually in connectio* with 1/M) ing and selling. They have .graduated in fact in business habits. His calling makes him an individualist and dip.tnwt.ful of others because of nig want of business knowledge. But by working together in companies with which t'e y are mutually interested the fanner linds that, working on business lines. there is no need to distrust his fellow-farmer, and so tho process of education goes oil. The awakening is, 1 thin!., evident, and it will 110 doubt tie foslrrc l ].y the T'nion in every way po.-ili].>," Tlie farmer who understands how to balance his accounts and accurately ascertain his position from time to time is the man who is going t» make !he greater success of his operations. The rudiments of book-keeping should !v taught every lad who is intended for tiie "natural life," Indeed, everyone could with advantage take a course of book-keeping before setting out on Ijfe's troubled sea. It would certainly tie more useful and valuable to both girls and hovs in after life than half the subject- of which they are now given 1 smattering. |