ABSTRACT
F. Sewell Bray was one of the best-known UK practitioner-academics. The approach to auditing advocated by Bray centred on the need for the auditor to take a general rather than a particular view of fairness. Auditing is an ancient practice bearing its own particular witness to the theological doctrine of original sin. It has always been directly concerned with matters of stewardship and accountability. Apart from the distinction between current and capital, transactions in accounts may be classified as real, financial, imputed and non-monetary. A great deal of judgment is required of the independent auditor in selecting adequate samples of entries for testing the validity of a firm’s accounts. For example, the modem auditor should pay attention to the system in force for plant construction authorisation and the system for operating budgets. Internal check and control are especially related to the subject of mechanised accounting.
