CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) BILL

10.20 am.

First Reading

The Assistant Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Mr Tan Theng Chiang): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "City Council Elections (Temporary Provisions) Bill".

Bill presented and read the First time.

Second Reading

Mr Speaker: Second Reading, what day?

Mr Tan Theng Chiang: Now, Sir. Mr Speaker, Sir, I lay upon the Table a Certificate of Urgency signed by His Excellency the Governor in respect of the Bill, and desire to proceed with it through all its other stages today.

Certificate of Urgency handed in.

Mr Speaker: The Certificate is in order. Are typed copies of the Bill available?

Mr Tan Theng Chiang: Yes, Sir. Typed copies of the Bill handed in to the Clerk and distributed to hon. Members.

Mr Speaker: Please proceed.

Mr Tan Theng Chiang: Sir, I beg to move. "That the Bill be now read a Second lime."

The life of the present City Council expires on the first Saturday in December, which is 7th December, 1957, when elections would ordinarily take place. As hon. Members are aware, the elections to the new City Council under the provisions of the Local Government Elections Ordinance, 1957, are scheduled to take place on 21st December, 1957. There is therefore an interregnum of 14 days between the expiry of the present City Council and the elections to the new City Council, and the present Bill is therefore necessary to provide for the extension of the life of the present City Council until the day when the new City Council comes into being. Sir, I beg to move.

The Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat): I second it.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.-[Mr Tan Theng Chiang].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read the Third time and passed.