SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION (Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 42 of 1957)

10.55 a.m.

The Financial Secretary (Mr T. M. Hart): Sir, I have His Excellency the Governor's authority to move,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $2,115,572 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 42 of 1957.

Sir, this message seeks supplementary provision amounting to "735,012 under Heads in the ordinary estimates and $2,022,200 under Heads in the development estimates. Offset savings amounting to $141,640 in the ordinary estimates and $500,000 in development estimates are available, and the net amount of new money required is therefore $2,115,572. Full explanations as to the need for the funds requested are given in the message and this little item adds to these explanations.

Faced with this substantial message at this time of the year, hon. Members will no doubt be anxious to know something about the financial position generally. It will be recalled that in November of last year, it was stated that despite the estimated deficit of $18,000,000, revenue and actual expenditure would in all probability balance in 1957. That, Sir, I am happy to say, is likely to be the case, based on returns, which I have to date. Ignoring payments of compensation under the Malayanisation scheme (these are, I think, a fair charge against accumulated reserves since they will be covered in due course by savings on expatriation pay and passages), but taking account of the expenditure arising or are likely to arise in 1957 from the messages now before the Assembly, it now seems likely that revenue and expenditure will balance at about $234,000,000.

With regard to the development estimates, it is clear that expenditure will fall considerably below the estimate. These matters will, of course, Sir, be dealt with in greater detail in connection with the Budget on 20th November.

There is one point, Sir, which I would like to mention before I close, and that is that I propose to withdraw item 218 on page 9 of the message. That deals with the item "Subhead 14, item (2) - Kandang Kerbau Maternity Hospital" under Head D49 Medical and Health. I take it, Sir, that the proper time to do that will be when the Schedule is considered in Committee stage. Sir, I beg to move.

The Assistant Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Mr Tan Theng Chiang): Sir, I second it.

Motion accordingly committed to Committee of Supply.

Motion and Schedule considered in Committee of Supply.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

11.00 a.m.

The Chairman: The summary is at page 17.

Head 1-

The sum of $800 for Head 1 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 6-

The sum of $10 for Head 6 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 12-

The sum of $3,100 for Head 12 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 20-

The sum of $47,400 for Head 20, ordered to stand part of the Schedule,

Head 23 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $105,300 for Head 23, stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Chairman, the explanatory note says:'

"Supplementary provision of $105,300 is required to meet anticipated expenditure during the remainder of the year."

This is already 16th October and there are slightly under two and a half months left. The vote was originally for $100,000 for the whole of the year 1957. Can the government let us into this big secret as to what great jaunt is planned in these two and a half months that is gongs to cost $105,300?

Mr Hart: The anticipated expenditure, as stated in The explanation, is in connection with the Port Commission which has just finished its deliberations. It is estimated that that will cost $70,000. The bills have not yet come in. And it is estimated that Singapore's share of the cost of the University Commission will come to close on $20,000, and for that also, bills have not yet come in. That represents close on $90,000 of the $100,000.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: May I have an answer, Mr Chairman, to my question? I can add $70,000 plus $20,000 to make $90,000. There is a vote originally, of $100,000, so there is still a balance of $10,000. What is this $105,300 for? What is it being planned for in these two and a half months?

Mr Hart: We also have to make provision for the estimated expenditure on a possible visit from the Transport Commissioner who may come to this country during the last two months of the year. We also have to make allowance for the payment of the allowances and expenses of the Colombo Plan expert who is here at the present time - the Colombo Plan expert who is training members of the Royal Singapore Flying Club in the Chipmunk aircraft, which has been made available by the Government of India. We also have made a small provision for unexpected contingencies.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Chairman, I was always under the impression that Colombo Plan experts go all over South East Asia giving free help, assistance, guidance and so on. Are we to understand that in fact we are paying for this?

Mr Hart: Sir, Colombo Plan assistance is not altogether free. The Colombo Plan authorities do pay a very large proportion of the expenditure but we are required to pay local subsistence allowances.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: As a matter of interest, Mr Chairman, could we be informed where this Colombo Plan expert is coming from?

Mr Hart: Sir, as I said, he has been here for some considerable time instructing people in Singapore to fly the Chipmunk aircraft which has been lent to us by the Government of India under the Colombo Plan, and this extra provision which I refer to is the extra sum required to complete the payment of his allowances this year.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Perhaps the Hon. the Minister for Communications and Works can tell us where this expert came from who is causing all this unnecessary expenditure to the Flying Club?

The Minister for Communications and Works (Mr Francis Thomas): I am not conceding that the expenditure is unnecessary. He is an Indian officer, Capt. Bhargava, who is lent to us by the Indian Government.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $105,300 for Head 23 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 28 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $272,000 for Head 28 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Sir, this is something more light, more adventurous, this question of the speedboats. I have been reading from time to time, Mr Chairman, of how the Customs have been outrun in many a creek in Singapore. Now we are informed that for the sum of $42,000 we are going to have four speedboat hulls with outboard engines. And amongst the other things that these four speedboats are supposed to do, besides out-running smugglers or potential smugglers, is to give protection to the crews - "sufficiently strong to afford protection to the crews". Sir, can we be informed whether this means amour-plating speedboats?

Mr Hart: There is no question of armour-plating, Sir. The provision covers the construction of four hulls which will cost approximately $3,000 each. The balance of the provision is required for the purchase of nine outboard motors, leaving an allowance of $3,000 as a balance against contingencies.

The word "protection" is used because, generally speaking, these speedboat hulls are of comparatively flimsy construction and smugglers have in the past shown a tendency to turn quickly on their tracks and try and ram the Customs launches; and we feel that if we can construct a hull which is rather stronger perhaps than the ordinary outboard motor hull, we' will give the Customs officers in these boats a certain amount of protection. I think that everything we can do to assist the Customs officers in their difficult task of preventing smuggling we should do. It is not really a matter for flippancy. They do require every possible assistance which we can give consistent with efficiency and economy.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Sir, $3,000 per hull times four for four hulls is $12,000. I think I am right. That leaves a balance of $30,000. Can we be told how many engine sets or how many outboard motors that is supposed to purchase?

Mr Hart: Sir, I have already said that we will be purchasing nine outboard motors at a cost of $3,000 a piece, making $27,000, and that we are keeping a reserve of $3,000 for contingencies.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $272,000 for Head 28 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 31 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $50,000 for Head 31 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lim Choon Mong: Mr Chairman, Sir, can the Hon. Minister for Commerce and Industry inform the House as to the size of the membership of this Singapore Agricultural Co-operative Union, and the number of animals that will be benefited by such a scheme?

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: Sir, the first part of the question is understandable but the second part is rather curious. The idea of any Government assistance is to benefit human beings and not animals unless it is the $5,000 given to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

This Agricultural Co-operative Union has got six rural Chinese co-operative societies as its affiliates and if the hon. Member wants to know their names, they are the Potong Pasir Agricultural Production and Marketing Co-operative Society, the Changi Jalan Tiga Ratus Agricultural Production and Marketing Co-operative Society, Ltd., the Ama Keng Agricultural Co-operative Credit Society, Ltd., the Bedok Agricultural Marketing Co-operative (unlimited), the Gulega Road Co-operative Credit Society (unlimited), and the Hup Ho Agricultural Co-operative Society (unlimited).

Mr Lim Choon Mong: Mr Chairman, I am afraid that the Minister has not answered my question. I would like to know the membership - how many members are there in these co-operatives, and what is the size of the farms. What we are interested in is how much they can produce or how much they can help to produce for the benefit of humans.

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: I am afraid, Sir, that offhand I cannot give the exact number of members of each of these component co-operative societies - the components of the Union, but I suppose there must be quite a large membership. The size of the holdings varies with each individual farmer. As the hon. Member knows full well, we are short of land in Singapore and therefore no farmer holds a big acreage of land.

Mr Goh Tong Liang (Bukit Panjang): I seek clarification, Sir. Towards the end of the paragraph it reads "after two years". Do I understand that after the period of two years the whole lump sum of $50,000 is to be paid back to the Government?

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: Yes, Sir. According to the plan that is envisaged for the working of the purchasing system, the Co-operative Union will be making sufficient profit for it to be able to repay the Government the loan after two years, but of course if unforeseen circumstances arise which prevent the loan being repaid after two years, perhaps Government will reconsider extension.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $50,000 for Head 31 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 33 -

The sum of $2,000 for Head 33 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 38-

The sum of $10 for Head 38 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 40-

The sum of $34,624 for Head 40 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 46 -

The sum of $17,000 for Head 46 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 49 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $45,050 for Head 49 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Sir, item 211 says:

"Subhead 41, item (4) -Administration:-Drugs and Chemicals ... It is difficult to estimate in advance what actual requirements will be. $80,000 was allowed in the 1957 Estimates but expenditure is running at an average of about $9,000 per month...".

Can we be informed what are these expensive drugs which are being used and whether there is any check on their use? The public is very often alarmed at the niggardliness with which drugs are dispensed to the free patients in the hospitals but are at the same time alarmed at the liberality with which they are being dispensed to "specialist" or paying patients. Now is there any check on the doctors in these hospitals, or are there any rules according to which they give or do not give expensive drugs?

The Minister for Health (Mr A. J. Braga): I cannot give details now of the expensive drugs. There is an increase - a terrific increase, a fantastic increase - of out-patients, free patients, coming to our medical centres, which necessitates the constant supply of drugs. I do not concede any niggardliness at all in the supply of expensive drugs to free patients. We are at times short of some expensive drugs and endeavour to get them as fast as we possibly can. I assure the hon. Member for Tanjong Pagar that there is no niggardliness at all on the part of the medical services.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $45,050 for Head 49 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

11.15 a.m.

Head 53 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $1,793 for Head 53 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Sir, did the City Council install a meter for the water they supplied to the old airport terminal?

Mr Hart: I regret, Sir, I just cannot answer that question. I do not know.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Then we would like to know how they calculate the, figure $1,793.

Mr Hart: I can only assume that they do have a meter and that the Director of Social Welfare was satisfied that this is a fair charge.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $1,793 for Head 53 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head 57 -

The sum of $155,925 for Head 57 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D42-

The sum of $653,000 for Head D42 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D46 -

The sum of $88,550 for Head D46 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D49 -

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $758,650 for Head D49 stand part of the Schedule."

The Chairman: The Hon. the Financial Secretary wishes to move an amendment?

Mr Hart: Yes, Sir, I would like, if I may, to move an amendment to the Schedule, to excise item 218. That refers to the construction of 12 flats for medical officers at Kandang Kerbau. It appears on page 9 of the Command Paper.

The Chairman: Under Standing Order 69 (7) -

"Any Member may move an amendment to the schedule to reduce by $ . . . the sum to be allotted for any head of expenditure in respect of any sub-head or item therein, but at least two clear days' notice of such amendment shall be given."

So that before any amendment is moved, I must know whether hon. Members will agree to waive notice under the provisions of Standing Order 23, which reads:

"Notice shall not be dispensed with in the case of a motion or in respect of any other proceeding for which notice is required except with the consent of the Speaker and the general assent of Members present."

Have I the assent of hon. Members present?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

Mr Hart: You would, I think, like to know why I withdraw this particular item, Sir. Representations have been made to me by hon. Members on both sides of the House that the cost of these particular flats might conceivably be reduced. In these circumstances, I wish to investigate the matter to see whether that is indeed possible.

The Chairman: Perhaps the Hon. the Financial Secretary will move the amendment in the proper form, under Standing Order 69 (7)? It will be of assistance, of course, if hon. Members would seek to settle their amendments with the Clerk beforehand.

Mr Hart: Sir, I must apologise for the trouble which I am causing you, but I must say in extenuation that this amendment was decided upon as the bell was ringing to open the proceedings. Sir, I beg to move,

To reduce by $181,600 the sum to be allotted for Head D49 in respect of application number 218.

Amendment agreed to.

Question,

"That the sum of $577,050 for Head D49, as amended, stand part of the Schedule,"

put, and agreed to.

The sum of $577,050 for Head D49, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D53 -

The sum of $25,000 for Head D53 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D57 -

The sum of $427,000 for Head D57 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

Head D61 -

The sum of $70,000 for Head D61 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

The sum of $1,933,972 for the Heads of Expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule, as amended, ordered to stand part of the motion.

Motion and Schedule reported, with an Amendment.

Question,

"That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $1,933,972 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 42 of 1957 as amended.".

put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $1,933,972 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule contained in Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 42 of 1957 as amended.