ACCOUNTANTS IN CONFERENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19248, 27 February 1925, Page 9

ACCOUNTANTS IN CONFERENCE

(Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 25. A remit that the society should take steps to advance the interests of members by bringing the advantages of the society before the commercial community lapsed, the opinion being that it wa; unbecoming that they should tout for work. A motion that the society take steps to effect an alteration in the Companies A'et, so that the audit of companies’ accounts be conducted by members of the society only was left in the hands of the council. It was decided that the Institute of Accountants and the Accountants’ Association be approached with a view to amalgamation with the New Zealand Society of Accountants. The opinion was that it was ridiculous that, in a country of this size there should be so many initials to describe one profession. Mr. A. E. Seaman, lecturer on accountancy at Auckland University, in a lecture on auditing, said that an auditor was primarily a hearer. He attended not to prepare accounts but to hear explanations. The auditor who wallowed in detail lacked imagination. He was sometimes expected to prepare opinions and in some cases discuss a policy. “To be honest, we must admit we have produced to us, and we pass, thousands of receipts that for our purpose arc not worth the paper they aro written on. A straight out receipt on a stock form, signed by a signature we do not know, is worth nothing as proof of payment to the proper person—many business firms give receipts in a most haphazard way. A receipt should be dated and, give the-amount in words as well as figures. It should be on a proper form issued by the business house. Thus fraud may be prevented. ’ ’ The delegates were accorded a civic welcome.