SINGAPORE COLONY ORDER IN COUNCIL, 1955 (INTERPRETATION) (Letter from the Governor)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Speaker: I was received in audience by His Excellency at 2.30 p.m. today, and I conveyed to His Excellency the terms of the Resolution passed by the Assembly this morning by handing to him a certified copy of the Resolution. After consideration of the terms of the Resolution, His Excellency addressed a letter to me, which I have his permission to read to the Assembly. This is the letter:

"This afternoon you delivered to me personally a certified copy of the Resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly today. You have asked me to place you in a position to report back to the Assembly my reply to the views expressed in that Resolution.

When I read its terms, I explained to you verbally that the Resolution as passed by the Assembly today has assumed a significance much more far-reaching than in its original terms and that, in these circumstances, I must have time to study its implications before I can ask you to convey a reply to the Assembly.

Quite apart, however, from consideration of the implications of the Resolution, I can assure Honourable Members of the Assembly that I will faithfully communicate to the Secretary of State the terms of the Resolution."

There is accordingly, at the moment, no reply from His Excellency the Governor to the message of the Assembly which I can report back to this House and, consequently, nothing further can be done in the matter today. Will a Minister therefore propose that the Assembly do adjourn?

The Chief Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have some difficulty in understanding the message, and with respect, before we do adjourn, I should like, if possible, to clarify the position.

The original terms of the motion have in no way been extended except by that amendment. The purpose of that amendment was merely to convey the expression of certain views to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies. That is separate - a completely different issue from the immediate issue of the interpretation of the powers of the Governor and the interpretation of the constitution in a manner that is adequate for the requirements of the people. Sir, I would like to understand from you whether His Excellency is conscious of the distinction between those paragraphs, and whether there has been any conversation on that aspect.

Mr Speaker: Mr Chief Minister, I am afraid I cannot give you any further information than what is contained in this letter. The terms of the Resolution were read, I might say, with anxiety by His Excellency, and the impression I have received is that he has taken the terms of the Resolution as a whole and he wishes for time to study that Resolution. I do not think any useful purpose can be served by continuing this discussion. I do ask a Minister to move that the Assembly do adjourn. May I have that, please?

The Chief Minister: May it please you, Mr Speaker, Sir, I am entirely in your hands if you desire an adjournment, but I am in a very unhappy position, Sir, and I think it is only fair that we should have a moment or two to deliberate that message before we do adjourn. There seems to be no indication when His Excellency may be in a position to give us a reply, and there seems to be a confusion between the immediate issue and the issue of self-government. I do not know if you are in a position, Sir, to give us any indication as to how that position can be met.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir may I, with respect, suggest that this House be suspended for five minutes to allow Members of the Assembly to consider the changed position? As I understand it, Mr Speaker, Sir, you would wish the House to adjourn, in which case we will probably have to adjourn till ten o'clock tomorrow morning. The Chief Minister is not anxious to take this step without consultation with his colleagues. Perhaps, if you would be kind enough, Mr Speaker, Sir, to allow the Chief Minister a few minutes to consult his colleagues on the matter, he might have less hesitation.

Mr Speaker: I am just interpreting the Resolution which hon. Members passed. That is the last paragraph:

And that the Speaker do report back to this House on the reply he receives from His Excellency the Governor to this message, and that thereafter this Assembly do take such action on motions without notice as the circumstances may require.

The position then, hon. Members, is that there is no reply to the message whatsoever before the House. Therefore, strictly in terms with that motion, there is nothing further to be done. I wish to be persuaded. Can I be persuaded?

Mr Francis Thomas: Mr Speaker, Sir, we cannot reply when there is no reply yet.

The Chief Minister: If it may please you, Mr Speaker, Sir, may I take it this way, that if we do adjourn till tomorrow morning, this could be the first subject to he debated tomorrow - on the final aspect of it. Sir, this is a reply of sorts. It is a reply which says that he is in no position to give an indication yet.

Mr Speaker: I will read the letter to you again, if you like. I will read the second paragraph which seems quite clear. The second paragraph of the letter addressed to me reads:

"When I read its terms, I explained to you verbally that the Resolution as passed by the Assembly today has assumed a significance much more far-reaching than in its original terms and that, in these circumstances, I must have time to study its implications before I can ask you to convey a reply to the Assembly."

The position is that this is not a reply to the Resolution. So there is nothing to debate tomorrow, as far as I can see. I can assure hon. Members, of course, that His Excellency will be giving this his attention as soon as possible.

The Chief Minister: Sir, it seems that there is nothing that can be done except to take it up tomorrow, but I am loath to do that unless I, with respect, Sir, receive some indication from you that we may continue consideration of that letter tomorrow as the first business of the day.

Mr Speaker: Mr Chief Minister, strictly this is not the message. This is a letter addressed to Mr Speaker, and I have had the permission of His Excellency to read it to the hon. Members. So I do not see how we can initiate a debate on this letter. It is a bit difficult, I know, but that is the position.

The Chief Minister: If that is so, Sir, it may not be that the House may wish, but in the light of the comment contained in that second paragraph which seems to confuse the issue of self-government with the immediate issue, it may well wish, Sir, to seek to send you on a further mission of clarification and no more and that can come within the terms of the original motion. That is what is in my mind at the present moment in the light of this letter.

Mr Speaker: Mr Chief Minister, I do feel that a matter of this nature it needs very careful consideration, and I do not think that it would be quite fair to His Excellency to rush him for a reply in this matter. He has, as I said, read the terms of the Resolution as a whole, rightly or wrongly, and he wishes for time to consider the whole matter very, very carefully, and I think hon. Members are entitled to have very careful attention paid by His Excellency to the Resolution.