Interesting people

Thompson, Lang & Associates -
oldest practice owned continuously by a single family  

From 'Our History', http://www.tleg.co.nz/history.php
Reprinted by permission.

Mr T H Thompson was born in Queensland, and received his early clerical training in Brisbane and Sydney. The Nineties were a time of serious depression in Australia, and in 1893, having heard of opportunities in New Zealand, came to New Zealand seeking employment.

After selling insurance, for a short period, for the New Zealand Government Life Insurance, he joined John Ewing, a mining magnate in St. Bathans, as his Accountant.

In 1897, he left St. Bathans for Invercargill, to work for Cook and Gray, a firm of Public Accountants. Cook and Gray had offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, and in 1899, Mr Thompson was transferred to the Dunedin branch.

The firm began in 1900, when T H Thompson commenced business,  as a Public Accountant, from offices in the Stock Exchange Buildings in Princes Street .

The Practice in the early years was diverse. In 1903, Mr Thompson published the first book of its kind in New Zealand: "New Zealand Manual of Accountancy and Commercial Law". Mr Thompson wrote the accountancy section, and Mr P S K Macassey, the legal section. The book proved popular and was published in  four editions. Later, he published a monthly magazine: “The Australasian Accountant”. The associations made during his time in St Bathans led to secretarial involvement with a number of Mining Companies.

In 1907, Mr Thompson shifted his office, to the AMP Building. Due to the demolition of the AMP Building, the practice shifted to 33 Princes Street, and again in 1983, to the NML Building.

In 1935, Mr T H Thompson took into partnership his two sons: J H Thompson and F R Thompson. The firm's name was changed to T H Thompson and Sons.

T H  Thompson died in 1938. J H and F R Thompson continued the business until the Second World War where in 1939, J H Thompson left for overseas service with the First Echelon. He died in Italy in 1943.

J F Lang commenced business in Dunedin in 1938, and In 1942, both he and F R Thompson were called up for armed service. Mr Lang closed his business, and Mr Thompson retained his business with the help of Mr P A Macomish, who had just retired as accountant in the Public Trust Office in Dunedin. Mr Macomish had been trained in Scotland, with the virtues expected from such a background: meticulous in all his work, with a marvellous economy in regard to office expenses.

In 1946, J F Lang and F R Thompson returned to Dunedin, and in October of that year, they commenced in partnership as: Thompson and Lang.

In 1957, J J Lang, son of J F Lang, was taken into partnership,. and In 1965, K J Thompson, son of F R Thompson, joined the partnership. K J Thompson has recently retired but continues as a consultant to the firm.
 

Member an eyewitness to historical events

South African Prime Minister John Vorster came for the ‘Livingstone Talks’, the peace talks attempting to bring an end to the civil war in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The ‘Livingstone Talks’ or ‘the Victoria Falls talks' took place on the Victoria Falls railway bridge, midway between the Rhodesian and Zambian border. Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith’s contingent stayed on the Zimbabwean side of the Falls while the African National Congress (ANC) group, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, stayed at Zambia’s Musi-o-tunya Intercontinental Hotel.

The peace talks lasted nine and a half hours but were unsuccessful.  Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith refused to grant immunity to the ANC leaders attending the talks. The leaders of South Africa and Zambia acted as mediators.

Don Lindale, the former General Manager of the Musi-o-tunya Intercontinental Hotel, hosted the ANC group. Don had worked as a controller in other African hotels. He has been a member of the Institute since 1965 and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant. A keen photographer, he was allowed to photograph those attending the luncheon. Mr Lindale now runs a photography business in Hamilton.  This photo has never before been published.

It started with a cheeky grin

By RUTH HILL - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 01 January 2008 Reprinted by permission.

It is almost 80 years since Roma Partridge first flashed a cheeky grin at a bashful schoolboy on a crowded Auckland train and captured his heart - and 70 years today since they married.

Laurie Enting, now 93, was instantly smitten by the coquette in the Auckland Girls Grammar uniform, whom he affectionately calls Jack, for Jack of all trades.

"She was everything I wasn't - I was a cringing youth and she was an outgoing tomboy, full of laughter ... She's always been wicked."
Fourteen when they met - romance blossomed after he invited her to tea for his 15th birthday - they were 23 when they wed at Pitt St Methodist Church in Auckland.

Having just started a job in Wellington, he could not take any time off, so they decided to get married on New Year's Day.

"This was much to everyone's consternation, except Jack's and mine - we didn't care - and in 70 years of marriage, I've never forgotten my wedding anniversary."

The only time they have been separated was during World War II, when Mr Enting was posted to Egypt and Italy.

For the next 56 years they lived in Puriri St, Lower Hutt, where they raised their three children.

A trained accountant who headed one of New Zealand's biggest advertising companies and pioneered market research, Mr Enting is no intellectual slouch - but he freely admits his wife has always been "the practical one". But in recent years she has relied on him increasingly.

Life has not been without its sorrows. Their son Brian, a celebrated photographer and author, was killed in a traffic crash in 1995.
Mrs Enting's diagnosis with dementia a couple of years ago was another blow. Until 18 months ago when she moved into Woburn Hospital, Mr Enting cared for his wife in their town house in the Shona McFarlane Retirement Village.

Her memory may be fading, but the grin is just as bright, and the love-light still burns in their eyes.

Daughters Pam and Bev and several of their eight grandchildren and three great-children will be at the family party today. The silver vase on their platinum wedding cake graced their cake 70 years ago and did service at each of their children's weddings.

Mr Enting says there is no secret to 70 years' successful marriage: "It's just love - keep your arms around each other and your eyes on the face of God."

Officer killed in action
Captain Douglas Alexander Wilson

Captain Douglas Wilson was a well-regarded accountant and before World War II frequently contributed articles to The Accountants’ Journal. He died in action in North Africa in World War II.

Wilson, originally from Napier, attended Victoria University where he graduated in law. He had the honour of being the Sir Michael Myers prize-winner.

From law, he moved into accountancy and joined his father in partnership in the Napier accountancy firm of Wilson, Beuth & Wilson.

At the outbreak of World War II, he left New Zealand in the second echelon. He trained in England before heading to Egypt where he took part in both Libyan campaigns and also the great drive from El-Alamein across the desert into Tunisia. He was killed in action in 1943.

Wilson was a keen sportsman and a fine accountant. He married before he left to fight in the war.