FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR 1955

3.04 p.m.

The Financial Secretary (Mr T. M. Hart): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That this Assembly, in accordance with paragraph (2) of Standing Order 61, resolves that the Financial Statements for the year 1955, as contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 54 of 1956, together with the Report of the Director of Audit, Malaya, thereon, as contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 55 of 1956, should be referred to the Public Accounts Committee.

Sir, the Financial Statements for 1955 together with the Report of the Director of Audit have now been tabled and it is considered desirable that they should be referred to the Public Accounts Committee for examination without further delay. Standing Order 61 (2) prescribes:

"... It shall be the duty of the Committee to examine the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Assembly to meet the public expenditure and such other accounts laid before the Assembly as the Assembly may refer to the Committee...".You, Sir, have held that the accounts which refer to sums granted by the Legislative Council and not by the Legislative Assembly are not automatically referred to the Public Accounts Committee under Standing Order 61 (2) but require a resolution of the Assembly under the same Standing Order. This is the reason for this motion. The greater part of the funds spent in 1955 were voted by the Legislative Council.

Sir,I beg to move.

Mr Chew Swee Kee: I second the motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly, in accordance with paragraph (2) of Standing Order 61, resolves that the Financial Statements for the year 1955, as contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 54 of 1956, together with the Report of the Director of Audit, Malaya, thereon, as contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 55 of 1956, should be referred to the Public Accounts Committee.