FINANCIAL SECRETARY (INCORPORATION) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

10.05a.m.

The Attorney-General (Mr E. P. Shanks): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

At present, the Chief Secretary holds property, both movable and immovable, on behalf of the Government by virtue of the Chief Secretary Incorporation Ordinance, which is Chapter 54 of the laws. The office of the Chief Secretary will cease to exist in its present form on the coming into force of the new Constitution, and it will therefore be necessary to make other provision. It is considered that, following the change made by the Federation, it will be more appropriate to have the necessary corporate body in the Treasury. This Bill therefore seeks to incorporate the Financial Secretary and to provide for the vesting in him as a corporate body of the properties now held by the Chief Secretary Incorporated. This will mean that on the introduction of the new Constitution the corporate body will be the Minister charged with responsibility for finance.

The Bill itself follows, in the main, the provisions of the Chief Secretary Incorporation Ordinance. There is, I think, only one new provision to which I need draw attention, and that is in clause 5 (3) where it is proposed that there shall be power to vest property in a public officer or authority, that is in some person other than the Financial Secretary, should the need arise. It may occasionally be more appropriate that some other person, perhaps the Commissioner for Lands, should hold certain types of property. A similar provision appears in the Federation where they have it, mainly I believe, for the better administration of the railway. It is not inconceivable that some such power might be needed in Singapore at some future date.

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.-[Mr Shanks].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

10.10 a.m.

Clauses 1 to 4 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 5-

Mr Shanks: Sir, I move,

In page 2, line 27, after "tenure", to insert "and for the like purposes".

This is to correct a drafting error, Sir,

Amendment agreed to.

Further amendment made: In page 2, line 36, after "tenure", to insert "and for the like purposes".-[Mr Shanks].

Amendments made:

In page 2, line 38, to leave out "the Order" and insert "such order".-[Mr Shanks].

In page 3, lines 2 and 3, to leave out "the Order" and insert "such order".- [Mr Shanks].

Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 6 to 9 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

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