SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION (Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 47 of 1958)

4.55 p.m.

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

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $8,797,141 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. 47 of 1958.

Sir, hon. Members have already received a copy of the statement of account for 1957. This message contains the applications for supplementary votes which are required to cover excesses in expenditure over the voted provisions and finally to wind up and close the accounts. The reasons why expenditure has exceeded the approved provision in each case is given in the message, but I shall be happy to add to these explanations if hon. Members so desire.

Sir, I beg to move.

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: Sir, I second it.

Motion committed to Committee of Supply.

Motion and Schedule considered in Committee of Supply.

4.58 p.m.

Schedule-

The Chairman: The summary is at page 16.

The sums stated for the Heads stated below ordered to stand part of the Schedule. Head Title $ 1 The Governor 441 9 Broadcasting 11,180 12 Defence Services 50,022 15 Information Services 8,741 18 Prisons 48,681 23 Treasury 334,690

5.00 p.m.

Head 25-

Question proposed,

"That the sum of $9,978,089 for Head 25 stand part of the Schedule."

Mr William Tan: Mr Speaker, Sir,I shall thank the Hon, the Financial Secretary to elucidate on item 284, New Subhead - Compensation under the Malayanisation Scheme ... $8,565,000. It is stated:

"These payments were charged in the first instance to a below-the-line Advance Account until such time as the exact amount paid in 1957 had been determined."

Would the Hon. the Financial Secretary elucidate on this?

Mr Hart: If the Member wishes me to explain what I mean when I say "below-the-line Advance Account", it merely means that the money has been paid from Government funds but not from a vote. This particular money is paid by law under the Compensation Ordinance. We have legal authority to pay, and it was considered desirable and appropriate, in this particular case, that we should pay from an Advance Account until we knew precisely how much was required in 1957 and thereafter to take a vote.

Question put, and agreed to.

The sum of $9,978,089 for Head 25 ordered to stand part of the Schedule.

The sums stated for the Heads stated below ordered to stand part of the Schedule. Head Title $ 37 Imports and Exports Control and Registration 52,126 41 Trade Marks Registry 318 48 Museum, Raffles 505 49 Medical and Health 583,983 53 Social Welfare 11,369 54 Ministry of Communications and Works 443 55 Civil Aviation 66,808 56 Meteorological Services 10 57 Postal Services 14,086 59 Public Works Recurrent 18,675 60 Telecommunications 11,627 D44 Land and District Offices 2,454 D49 Medical and Health 7,176

The sum of $8,797,141 for the Heads of Expenditure and for the services specified in the Schedule ordered to stand part of the Motion.

Motion and Schedule reported, without Amendment.

Question on the Motion put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly resolves that the sum of $8,797,141 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. 47 of 1958.