CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

It is a short and straightforward Bill, and the reason for it is simple, namely, to dispense with the City Council elections in December, 1955, and extend the tenure of office of City Councillors, elected as well as appointed, who are due to retire in December, 1955, to 1st July, 1956.

This measure has been taken because, as Members are aware, a Local Government Committee is now sitting to re-examine and make recommendations on the future organisation of local government in Singapore, and it is hoped that the new local government legislation to introduce changes in the local government set-up would be in force by July next year. It is therefore considered unnecessary to have new Councillors elected or appointed who would hold office for less than a year, and, as the intention is to dispense with elections this year, the completion of the revision of the electoral register by the end of 1955 can also be dispensed with.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.