RE ACCOUNTANTS ACT, 1908

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2638, 21 October 1909, Page 2

RE ACCOUNTANTS ACT, 1908

(To the Editor.) Sir, —There has been considerable discussion and letter writing recently about the Society of Accountants’ Act, and the benefits or otherwise of the registration conferred upon those men who now form the members of the new Society. Mr. Shaw, president of the association, in expressing his views to the electors of the Auckland centre with regard to tin! conduct of future examinations, made a most important statement in the matter of requiring future candidates to pass, the matriculation in addition to the professional examination, before being eligtb.e tor membership of the Society. •Of course, every young man desirous of securing registration by what is, after all, the proper method, will have no objection to passing a rigorous, examination to prove his knowledge of accountancy and kindred subjects. But to ask him'to sit for matriculation also would be nothing short of a downright imposition. Of the 2100 present members of the Society only a very small proportion indeed, have passed an examination at all —even in the professional subjects let alone a general knowledge exam, of the nature and severity of matriculation. I think I am quite correct in saying that very few indeed are matriculation men. Why should these men ; then, talk about putting an examination on the accountants’ exam, syllabus of which they know nothing, and which hardly any of them have ever passed—or even : attempted to pass ? Every consideration should bo given to the young men who are, and have been studying with the object of improving their knowledge of commercial work and accountancy and ultimately passing their exams. The matriculation is certainly a most excellent examination, and it is not a difficult one for the college boy who has been taught the subjects required for some four or five years previous to attempting the exam., and is right up to mark in them. But, the office man who has been away from college or school for from "five to fifteen years, to sit down and wade into Latin, geometry, history, geography, French, and other subjects—six or seven of which must be passed in—-is, in my opinion an absolute injustice at the present time.; The ,Council and members of the Society should certainly not demand this test in. general knowledge until at least five or six years have - elapsed from the formation of the Society. They need not worry about the qualifications of the future members when a stiff professional examination is prescribed-—for I can assure them, as oiie who has been through the exam, on two occasions; as an Associate and a Fellow—that the person who can confidently tackle and pass the prosent, exams., shows himself to be fully qualifiejd, and moreover, that he possesses considerable general knowledge, before 'he could answer the ' rigorous papers in an intelligent and satisfactory manner.—l am etc. O. V. ROBERTSON. Holder of Accountant Fellowship f)egree (by exam.), Auckland,