WOMEN AND GIRLS' PROTECTION (PLACES OF SAFETY - AMENDMENT) RULES, 1956

Mr Lim Yew Hock: Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to move the motion standing in my name,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (3) of section 27 of the Women and Girls' Protection Ordinance (Chapter 33), resolves that the Women and Girls' Protection (Places of Safety-Amendment) Rules, 1956, made on the 20th day of January, 1956, and published as Notification No. S 27 in the Gazette Supplement No. 5 of the 26th January, 1956, as contained in Sessional Paper No. S.L. 6 of 1956 be approved.

Sir, the Overseas Chinese Creche was established in 1952 and is serving as a residential nursery home for some 50 children under the age of six who are homeless or have come from broken or undesirable homes. The Director of this creche has hitherto been very cooperative with the Department of Social Welfare. On many occasions, the creche has assisted the Department greatly when accommodation at the Girls' Home craft Centre, York Hill, or the Salvation Army Nursery Home were not available. The creche has received a per capita grant from the Government since 1954.

By declaring the creche a place of safety, the position is regularised in that it now comes legally under the supervision of the Social Welfare Department. Previously, no proper records were kept nor were case histories kept. An officer of the Social Welfare Department can now see to it that this is done and so raise the standard. There is not sufficient Government accommodation for all these cases and voluntary organisations such as this, properly supervised, can do a great deal to ease the situation.

A place of safety, Sir, is a place to which destitute, abandoned, cruelly-treated or uncontrollable children may be sent for care and protection. By gazetting this creche as a place of safety, it will then become one of the many homes to which children, falling under the provisions of the Women and Girls' Protection Ordinance and the Children and Young Persons' Ordinance, could be referred.

In the circumstances, Sir, I would ask that this Assembly approves the Women and Girls' Protection (Places of Safety-Amendment) Rules, 1956, laid before this House today.

Mr Chew Swee Kee: I second the motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (3) of section 27 of the Women and Girls' Protection Ordinance (Chapter 33), resolves that the Women and Girls' Protection (Places of Safety-Amendment) Rules, 1956, made on the 20th day of January, 1956, and published as Notification No. S 27 in the Gazette Supplement No. 5 of the 26th January, 1956, as contained in Sessional Paper No. S.L. 6 of 1956 be approved.