COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS (Forthcoming Visits) (Statement by the Chief Minister)

Legislative Assembly of Singapore · 4 April 1956 · 1st Legislative Assembly

Official Report, 4 April 1956, Vol 1, Issue 28 · Open in the reader (summaries, search, filters)

David Marshall

The Chief Minister: Sir, I have to refer to a statement I made to this House last month informing Members that invitations had been issued to Commonwealth countries to send Parliamentary delegations, if they so wished, to acquaint themselves fully on issues which may affect them arising out of our desire for independence within the Commonwealth.

We have received a reply from the Government of Ceylon, Sir, informing us that Parliament has been dissolved and is in the process of fresh elections and they are consequently unable to send a delegation until after our departure for the United Kingdom.

We have also received replies from New Zealand and South Africa indicating that they will not be sending a delegation at this time.

Personal messages have been received from the Prime Minister of India, the Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs, and the Australian Minister for External Affairs which I have tabled for the information of the House.

No reply has so far been received from Pakistan.

Source: Singapore Parliament Official Report (Hansard) for 4 April 1956. Republished on SGParliament.