THE CHANGING SCENE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 192, 17 August 1935, Page 10

THE CHANGING SCENE

DANGERS OF “CATCH-CRIES” All manner of organisation of mankind—political, social, religious, industrial, commercial, financial and professional —are concerned with, the quickly-changing scenes in their own countries and the world as a whole. Politicians profess to be “exploring avenus” to better fields, and others arc engaged in the widespread practice of “finding formulae” to cure economic or other ills of the body politic. This matter was mentioned very interestingly bv Mr. A. E. C'utforth (president of the English Institute of Chartered Accountants) at Leeds recently. “What should be our oatlook as we view the rapidly-changing scene?” he askcl. “The motto of our institute, ‘Rede Numerate,’ may well serve as a guide. It has a wider meaning than a purely accountancy one. It applies to situations and circumstances as well as to figures. It may well be translated as ‘to assess correctly,’ ‘to weigh fairly.’ ‘to interpret reasonably.’ “We in our profession cannot be unaffected by changing conditions in the world in which we live. These are bound to have their influence on our work. We cannot allow ourselves to be left in a backwater; we must move with the times. But equally we must not let the stream carry us along at a pace which prevents us from steering a good course. If we look back over the restless and troubled days comprised in the last 15 or 20 years, we can recall certain cries or catchwords which caught popular fancy for a while and attained temporarily a prominence which they did not deserve. ‘Cost Accounts’ was one; •Amalgamations’ was another; ‘Regulation of Industry’ may well prove to .be a third. AU these id4as have good in them; in proper circumstances they may alleviate or even remove weaknesses in the financial or economic body; but they are far from being a universal elixir calculated to effect a

comj)'.el<; cure of the patient, no matter what his disease may be. When, therefore, new ideas ami new suggestions are pul forward affecting our pro fessjou directly or indirectly we must not brush them aside as unworthy of consideration merely because we can discern some objections to them; nor. on the other hand, must we accept them without a calm ami careful study, uninfluenced by the prejudices or the passions of the moment. “ What man is there among us who. on looking back, cannot recall occasions when he was too cautious, and other occasions on which he was too rash. We cannot always avoid mis takes. And what is true of individuals must be true of institutes. No corporate body can hope to pursue a policy which posterity will renounce to be perfect. A certain view or a certain line uf action may, in the light, of after events, prove to have been n mistaken one; but, if all the factors and circumstances, as they existed at the time, wore carefudy and calmly reviewed, who can impute blame? “So far as lies in our power, however, we must see to it that our insti lute, when weighed in the balances by the next generation, will not be fou id wanting. We cannot esure it. but it we keep as our guiding principle ‘ Rede Numerare’ we shall at least deserve