LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DISTRICT COUNCILS) (CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.13 p.m.

The Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Dato Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill is a consequence of local government reorganisation in Singapore. With the impending establishment of the three District Councils, it is necessary to provide that, on their taking over the functions of the Rural Board, the various references in the laws of the Colony to the Rural Board, which will go out of existence after the District Council elections, will be appropriately amended.

The Bill also provides for the substitution of other descriptions which will be inappropriate when the District Councils come into being, such as "Rural District", "Rural Board Health Officer", "Municipal Ordinance", and so on. The amendments now proposed will bring the laws of the Colony in line with the changes in the local government of Singapore when the Ordinance comes into operation, the date of which is intended to coincide with the holding of elections. Some minor amendments to .the Bill are necessary, for which I have filed a notice of amendments, and these will be considered in Committee.

Sir, I beg to move.

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. [Data Abdul Hamid.]

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

4.15 p.m.

Clauses 1 to 3 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

The Schedule-

The Chairman: There are certain insertions which will be made, as appear in the Notes in the Order Paper Supplement*.

• (a) In page 2, lines 9, 29 and 36: to insert, in each case, the marginal note "Ord. 24/57"

(b) In page 3, line 53: to insert the marginal note "Ord. 24/57".

Dato Abdul Hamid: Sir, I move,

In page 4, line 9, to leave out "principal" and insert "Municipal".

This is to rectify a mistake, the relevant word appearing iii the Rubber Estates Assessment Ordinance being "Municipal" and not "principal".

Amendment agreed to.

Dato Abdul Hamid: Sir, I move,

In page 4, line 36, to leave out "substitute therefor" and insert 'insert immediately after the definition of "dangerous petroleum anchorage"'.

This amendment is necessary in order that the definition of "District Council" should come in the proper alphabetical order of the definition. Its proper place, therefore, should be after the definition of "dangerous petroleum" and not, as would occur on substitution for the definition of "Rural Board", after "Port Officer".

Amendment agreed to.

The Chairman: A further insertion in page 4, line 38 will be made, i.e., to insert the marginal note "Ord. 24/57".

Dato Abdul Hamid: Sir, I move,

In page 5, line 40, to leave out "substitute therefor" and insert 'insert immediately after the definition of "Crown Grand"'.

This amendment is also necessary to preserve the alphabetical order of the definition.

Amendment agreed to.

The Schedule, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with amendments; read the Third time and passed.