LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR BILL

3.55 p.m.

Mr Lim Koon Teck (Paya Lebar): Sir, I beg to move,

That the Report of the Select Committee on the Little Sisters of the Poor Bill, as contained in Sessional Paper No. L.A. 17 of 1957, be adopted.

Sir, this Paper was laid on the 18th of September and the facts supporting this private Bill are clearly stated in the affidavit. The Little Sisters of the Poor have established homes for the maintenance, treatment and nursing of the poor, the aged, the sick and the infirm and for the purpose of the propagation of Christianity. I must say that although one of the purposes is for the propagation of Christianity, it is admitted by everyone in Singapore that they have not discriminated against any other religion in the treatment of the sick and the infirm and because of the good work that this body of people have done, it has received much contribution as a result of which it has been able to build two homes: one at Thomson Road, Singapore and the other one in Batu Lanchang Lane, Penang. As the work will increase and more homes will be established, it is felt that the vesting of all the properties and titles in the titular Roman Catholic Bishop of Malacca is inconvenient in that it puts an extra burden on the Bishop of Malacca for objects of which he has no real concern. It is therefore asked that the Little Sisters of the Poor be now incorporated by law under which it will be able to hold all the properties in its own name.

Sir, I beg to move.

Mr Soh Ghee Soon (Cairnhill): I second the motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Report of the Select Committee on the Little Sisters of the Poor Bill, as contained in Sessional Paper No. L.A. 17 of 1957, be adopted.

Bill read the Third time and passed.