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Commerce Society

The Commerce Society was established early in 1932 with the object of furthering and safeguarding the interests of the students of the Commerce Faculty and, although of quite recent origin, it has succeeded in attaining one end for which it has steadily worked—that of reinstating the Accountancy lectures at the College. These lectures now enable the University to offer a full course in the Degree of Commerce and the response to their inauguration has more than justified our efforts. Our sincere thanks are due to the N.Z. Society of Accountants for the assistance rendered in the establishment of these classes.

During the early part of the year there arose a cry that Commerce has no rightful place on the curriculum of a University, that it is too sordidly mundane and is far removed from academic learning. Those who made that cry were, possibly, earnest folk, but they had failed to realise that the standards of the modern University have widened and that the old idea of purely classical or scientific precepts being all that the University must teach, has been outgrown. "Smad," through its corre-spondence columns, has discussed this matter and the effective reply of one writer that the function of a University is to serve the community by leading it, by providing men with a breadth of view and a depth of vision in all walks of life and not burying itself in a mass of philosophic and scientific teachings, is the ideal that Victoria as well as all Universities must ever seek.

The lectures arranged during the year, by which it is endeavoured to foster interest in current affairs, have been unfortunately few. A most informative and enlightening address was delivered by Mr. J. L. Griffin on the new Companies Act of 1933, a subject which, judging by the attendance, proved of great interest, not only to students, but also to many members of the public, to whom our lectures are always open.

Professor B. E. Murphy has consented to deal with the activities of the Tariff Commission. Presented in the inimitable style of our worthy Dean this should not only be most instructive but promises to be highly diverting. Later it is hoped to arrange an address on Government Accounting. The awakened interest displayed in Public Finance and the fact that our numbers include a considerable sprinkling of officers of the Civil Service has indicated the desirability of a clearer understanding of the Public Accounts.

To Mr. E. Budge the Society extends its thanks for the valuable services rendered by him during his term of office as secretary.

This year arrangements were made through the Society for the sale of sets of reference notes on the Accountancy Law subjects which should be of considerable assistance to students.

Suggestions and criticisms as to lectures or specific work in which students may be interested are warmly welcomed by the Committee, who are anxious to foster a spirit of keener interest in the work of the College and, in particular, the activities specially appertaining to the Commerce Faculty.