LAWS OF SINGAPORE (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

10.20 a.m.

The Attorney-General (Mr E. P. Shanks): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have His Excellency's consent and recommendation that this Bill be proceeded with, and I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Bill, Sir, seeks to make certain necessary amendments in various Ordinances - 17 in all. Some of these are consequential on the enactment of the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council, 1958. Of the constitutional amendments there are three, and they are contained in clauses 3, 8 and 10. Clause 3 is self-explanatory. It is designed to repeal the Governors Ordinance.

Clause 8 makes members of the Public Service Commission "public servants" within the meaning ascribed to that expression in the Penal Code. At the present time, the Public Service Commission Ordinance does this, but that Ordinance will be repealed in due course by the Constitutional Order in Council which, by Part IX, will replace the existing Ordinance; but it is not correct to put in an instrument like the Constitutional Order in Council the protection that is proposed to be given by clause 8 of this present Bill.

Clause 10 is designed to amend the Criminal Procedure Code to give effect to paragraph 32 of the Report of the Constitutional Conference held in London in 1957 and published as Sessional Paper No. Misc. 2 of 1957. It was there agreed that while the decision to request the assistance of the British forces, or forces of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, in aid of the civil power would rest with the Singapore Government, Her Majesty's Government would retain the ultimate discretion as to whether, how and to what extent such a request should be acceded to; and to give effect to that, it is desirable to amend the Criminal Procedure Code by the insertion of a new section as is proposed by clause 10 of this Bill.

Sir, the opportunity has been taken to make some other corrections and amendments to our law. Clause 2 is a comparatively minor matter. It corrects the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders Ordinance to take account of the new status of the Federation of Malaya.

Clauses 5, 6, 13 and 17 delete provisions of the law which are now spent, and clauses 4, 11, 12, 14 and 16 rectify inadvertent omissions from the Legislative Assembly (Presentation of Subsidiary Legislation) Ordinance, 1958, which hon. Members will recall was a Bill with a very long Schedule amending, I think, over 70 Ordinances to bring their provisions into line with the existing Standing Orders and practice of this House in relation to the presentation of subsidiary legislation.

Clause 7 of this Bill merely corrects something that was inadvertently overlooked in 1955 when the laws were revised, and clause 9 amends the Children and Young Persons Ordinance to remove the conflict between an existing provision in that Ordinance and the Criminal Procedure Code regarding the age below which a person may not be sentenced to death.

Clause 15 makes an amendment to the Road Traffic Ordinance rendered necessary by the present system of staggering the periods for the issue of vehicle licences by the City Council. At present, the period of grace is one month, which worked quite well when licences were issued twice a year, but now that licences are issued twelve times a year, it is desirable to shorten this period so as to avoid any overlap.

Clause 18 makes a drafting amendment to the recently enacted Police Force Ordinance, 1958, which, on the coming into force of the new Constitutional Order in Council, ought to be worded slightly differently to make the position abundantly clear with regard to the powers of the Public Service Commission vis-a-vis recommendations from the Commissioner of Police. At the same time, it is proposed to amend in three Ordinances references to the Police Force Ordinance, 1941, which will become inaccurate when the Police Force Ordinance, 1958, is brought into force.

Hon. Members will notice that the first clause of this Bill provides for its coming into operation on a date to be appointed. Some of these changes are essential preparatory steps to the smooth introduction of the new Constitution, and the date of the coming into operation of this Bill will, no doubt, be linked with the date for the coming into force of the new Constitution.

Sir, I beg to move.

Quesion 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]

10.30 a.m.

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

Clause 4-

The Chairman: There is a note,

In page 2, line 10, to leave out "four" and insert "fourth".

This amendment will be made.

Clause 4 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 5-

Mr Shanks: Sir, I move,

In page 2, line 19, after "amended", to insert 'by deleting the sign, brackets and figure "-(1)" appearing in the first line thereof and'.

This is a drafting refinement.

Amendment agreed to.

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

Clauses 6 to 16 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 17-

Amendment made: In page 5, line 21, after "amended", to insert 'by deleting the sign, brackets and figure"- (1)" appearing in the first line thereof and'.-[Mr Shanks].

Clause 17, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 18 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

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