LIGHT DUES BILL

10.30 am.

Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for Commerce and Industry (Mr J. M. Jumabhoy): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have the recommendation of His Excellency the Governor to proceed with this Bill, and I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill, Sir, proposes the introduction of light dues to be paid by shipping using the port of Singapore, and the establishment of a Light Dues Fund which will be administered by a Light Dues Board. In Singapore at present, no light dues are charged and, as a result, the Colony budget has to bear the cost of the maintenance of lighthouses, flashing beacons and light buoys. It has also to meet the salaries, allowances, cost of uniforms and rations for lighthouse personnel, together with other similar items attributable to shipping lights. However, in the Federation of Malaya, Hong Kong and the British territories in Borneo, as well as in all other major ports of the world, shipping is made to pay for these services by the payment of light dues.

The Allen Report on the Major Ports of Malaya which was published in 1950 advocated that the cost of providing these navigational aids should be charged to shipping in the form of light dues. The shipowners have indicated - though reluctantly, I must confess - that they have no objections. The scale of fees proposed in the Schedule to this Bill has been carefully assessed in relation to the services provided and the cost, so that the fees are kept down to as low a figure as possible. For the sake of comparison, Sir, I may mention that whereas in the Federation the fees are ten cents per net registered ton, our scale is only two cents per net registered ton for ships working cargo, and one cent for ships calling in for bunkers, etc. Also, in order that the dues may not throw an undue burden on ships calling very often, the collection of dues has been restricted to a maximum of ten times per year per ship. Provision has also been made for the exemption of fishing boats, small craft, Singapore Government ships and ships of war, and an annual rate has been fixed for Singapore registered ships.

It is estimated that if light dues are introduced on the scale proposed in the Schedule to this Bill, the money to be collected and paid into the Light Dues Fund will amount to $414,000 per annum. The Fund will be devoted solely to the maintenance and improvement of light and navigational aids.

The Light Dues Board will consist of the Master Attendant as Chairman, and six members to be appointed by me, and I propose to give adequate representation to shipping interests. Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.