SINGAPORE IMPROVEMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

Order for Second Reading read.

Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

In 1952, the Municipal Ordinance and the Singapore Improvement Ordinance were amended to provide for the payment of assessment by the Singapore Improvement Trust to the City Council in respect of Trust properties used for profit, and for the payment of an improvement rate by the City Council to the Singapore Improvement Trust in respect of properties vested in the City Council and used for profit. Until then, there had been a gentlemen's agreement between the two Authorities that neither side should pay its dues to the other.

The two Authorities have been paying their respective dues to each other since 1952, except for the payment of an improvement rate by the City Council in respect of the year 1952. The reason for this non-payment is that doubts have arisen as to whether the Singapore Improvement (Amendment) Ordinance, 1952, makes clear provision for such rate to be paid in respect of that particular year. However, the Singapore Improvement Trust and the City Council have now finally agreed that the amount of such rate for 1952 should be $84,189.14 and the purpose of this Bill is to enable the payment to be made to the Board. Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.