=
15
Wednesday, August 16, 1972
Mr. Wong suggested that the proposed legislation should not apply to a person who is registered as an accountant under the Bill and not holding a practising certificate, but he must be authorised by the Council to audit the books, without reward, of any charitable organisation or trust of a public character whose name is listed in
the Gazette,
Earlier, the Acting Attorney General, the Hon. G.R. Sneath, said while moving the second reading of the Bill that for some time there had been a feeling that accountants should have their own professional body
in Hong Kong.
At present, he said, auditors required to perform functions under the Companies Ordinance were under the control of the Authorised Auditors
Board established by that Ordinance.
The Board would disappear with the repeal of the relevant sections
of the Companies Ordinance by the Bill, he said,
Mr. Sneath said the statutory responsibility for accountants'
training and examination was a most important aspect of the work of the
proposed Society to be incorporated under the Bill.
Up till now,
he said, would-be accountants had to go overseas to
qualify or else seek enrolment in Hong Kong with the Australian Society
of Accountants, or alternatively with the Association of Certified
Accountants.
/16