Untitled

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2723, 25 August 1868, Page 4

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. (to thk kditok of the independent.) Sin, — At the present moment one cannot help asking why should thcro be any difficulty in keeping the public accounts. Any one who knows anything at all about business, knows that all bankers' accounts are kept posted and balanced every clay, and I apprehend that their accounts are as numerous and as varied as those of the Colonial Treasury. There can be no reason why the public accounts should not be kept as mercantile accounts are, by double entry upon the Italian method. And it seems to me that the system may be reduced to great simplicity, as the Treasury has to deal only with receipts and payments of money of about ouo million per annum. Sui'ely it cannot be necessary to employ fifteen or more clerks (and half kill them into the bargain) to keep accounts to that amount, besides the Comptroller's and Auditor's staff. Last year, I remember, by some sort of circumlocution the Revenue and Expenditure as printed, appeared to be seven millions. — I am, &c. A Bookkeeper.