PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY (AMENDMENT) BILL

2.42 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr Low Por Tuck): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Pineapple Industry Ordinance, 1957 (No. 15 of 1957)".

Bill read the First time.

Second Reading

Mr Speaker: Second Reading, what day?

Mr Low Por Tuck: Now, Sir. Mr Speaker, Sir, I lay upon the Table a Certificate of Urgency signed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara in respect of the Pineapple Industry (Amendment)

Certificate of Urgency handed in.

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

Mr Low Por Tuck: Yes, Sir.

Typed copies of the Bill handed in to the Clerk and distributed to hon. Members.

Mr Low Por Tuck: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Subsection (3) of section 7 of the existing Pineapple Industry Ordinance does not make provision for the functions of the Malayan Pineapple Industry Board to include the grant of financial assistance, whether by way of subsidy or otherwise, to the industry as a whole or to any section thereof, and the Governments of the State of Singapore and the Federation of Malaya consider that this provision is essential in the light of past experience.

The reason for the urgency of this amendment is to enable the Malayan Pineapple Industry Board to assist any section or sections of the industry in the event of a crisis which is expected in December 1959. Similar amending legislation is being taken through all its stages in the Federation House of Representatives.

The amendment of subsection (1) of section 8 of the Ordinance is to enable the Minister, in consultation with the Board, to make an order for the imposition, collection, variation or cancellation of a cess or cesses on the exportation of canned pineapples, instead of doing so only on the recommendation of the Board. This may be necessary in order to raise funds for the assistance of any section or sections of industry.

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 Low Por Tuck].

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