The Clerk of Accounts' remarks on the new system of book-keeping proposed by Mr Grey, the public accountant : printed by order of Finance Committee, 6th March, 1849.

  • London (England). Metropolitan Commission of Sewers.
Date:
[1849]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Clerk of Accounts' remarks on the new system of book-keeping proposed by Mr Grey, the public accountant : printed by order of Finance Committee, 6th March, 1849. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    3. x/ Printed for use of Commissioners only.] Metropolitan etoers* The Clerk of Accounts Remarks on the New System of Book¬ keeping proposed by Mr GREY, the Public Accountant. Having carefully and maturely considered Mr Grey’s Plan for keeping tlie Cask Accounts of the Commission, I have arrived at the conclusion that, as a system, it would in all probability be found to work well; but at the same time it appears to me to be open to certain alterations and curtailments, which would have the effect of reducing the labour, and furnishing the required information in a more concise and intelligible shape. I cannot, however, help incidentally remarking, that it is a system, in my opinion, somewhat too elaborate to be generally understood, and not exactly adapted to the intellectual capabilities of the ratepayers and public at large, to whose inspection it is to be open. Assuming that the Commissioners will approve and adopt Mr Grey’s proposed system, I would beg to offer for consideration the following suggestions, with the view of simplifying his plan and abridging the amount of labour. The saving would not be in the number of books, but in the quantity of headings, and the mode of jour¬ nalising, and posting into the Ledger. I would have 1 General Cash Book, as proposed by him. 12 for Receipts, Rates. Contributions, &cc. ^ ^or ntS; Y1Z * Surveys: Management. Loans. 1 Journal. 1 Ledger. The Cash Book might be kept exactly on the principle proposed by him, without any alteration. But with regard to the Abstract or Detail Books, I would entirely alter their arrangement, having them ruled in columns for the various minor heads of ex¬ penditure under their respective classifications of Works, Surveys, Management, and Loans, and a certain number of leaves in the books allotted to each district, instead of (6)