LABOUR BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for Labour and Welfare (Mr Lim Yew Hock): Mr Speaker, Sir, when I took office as Minister for Labour and Welfare, I inherited the Labour Bill from the previous Government. For a long, long time, while I was in the old Legislative Council, I kept on pressing and pressing for a new Labour Code; and therefore when I found that the Labour Bill was an accomplished fact, I lost no time in introducing it for First Reading at our sitting last month.

I went through the Bill, Sir, in greater detail before sending it for printing, and I found that amendments are necessary in several of the provisions to meet present-day requirements. These amendments are under urgent consideration, and the matter will be finalised shortly. Under the circumstances, Sir, I beg to move,

That the Second Reading of this Bill be postponed to 29th June.

Mr Speaker: Mr Lim Yew Hock, the Standing Orders do not provide for postponement of any Order of the Day. The only way to get round it, if you want a postponement, is to have the general assent of Members. The only way provided for under Standing Orders is under Standing Order No. 57 where you withdraw it, unless, of course, the Members of the Assembly consent.

Mr Lim Yew Hock: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I therefore crave the indulgence of the Members of this Assembly to enable me to postpone the Second Reading of this Bill to the 29th June?

Mr Speaker: Have I the assent of Members?

An hon. Member: Certainly.

Mr Speaker: Have I the assent of Members that that motion be moved? Any dissenting voice?

There being no dissenting voice, the Question was proposed.

Mr Lim Choon Mong (Serangoon): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Labour Bill has been in the hands of the Minister for Labour and Welfare since the time he took office. Thereafter, I believe at our first sitting, he had the opportunity of naming the date, and he had named it today. Obviously, Sir, before I knew that the Minister for Labour and Welfare wanted to postpone it. I thought that the Second Reading would have been done today. For that matter, Sir, I believe if it had been so, there would have been no time for considering such an important Bill. Such a Bill should be available not only to Members of this House, but also to members of the general public for discussion, so that their views can be taken and expressed in this Assembly. Also, for that matter, I feel that we have a number of motions drawn up today for which I think we received notice yesterday at about the lunch-hour.

Mr Speaker: Order, please. Will you please keep to the motion?

Mr Lim Choon Mong: I would like to point out, too. Sir, that the Bill had not only not been published in the Gazette, but also not circulated. The Minister for Labour and Welfare has already given a reason, and I think I will accept that. However. I would beg that, whenever there is opportunity, the Bill should be given a longer time for discussion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Second Reading of this Bill be postponed to 29th June.