SHIPPING CASUALTIES AND APPEALS AND RE-HEARINGS (AMENDMENT) RULES, 1959

6.46 p.m.

The Deputy Prime Minister (Dr Toh Chin Chye): Mr Speaker, I beg to move,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (2) of section 490 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance (Chapter 207), resolves that the Shipping Casualties and Appeals and Re-hearings (Amendment) Rules, 1959, published as Notification No. S (N.S.) 164 in the Gazette Supplement No. 34 dated 6th November, 1959, as contained in Paper S.L. (New Series) 25 of 1959, be approved.

Sir, from time to time Courts of Investigation are appointed under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance to inquire into shipwrecks, shipping casualties, or into the conduct or competency of the officers serving on the ships.

Assessors appointed to these Courts are paid $30 for the first day of hearing and $20 for each subsequent day or part thereof. These sums have remained unchanged since they were fixed in 1911, and recently their inadequacy at present-day values was brought to my notice. While I have taken due notice of the need to increase these fees, I have also borne in mind the fact that remuneration for a civic service of this nature should not be based entirely on the present-day value of the services performed. An equitable remuneration, therefore, will be to revise upwards the fees for the second and subsequent days of hearing, since the financial loss incurred by each assessor is in no way less than the loss incurred in the first day of hearing. I have, therefore, made an amendment to the Rules, which are the subject to this motion, to permit a sum of $30 to be paid to each assessor for each day of hearing, thus removing the existing differential rates between the first and subsequent days. This will mean an increase of $10 in assessor's fees when the Court sits for more than one day.

I am sure that Members will agree that this revision is sufficient and adequate in view of the considerations I have mentioned. And I may add that shipwrecks do not occur every day.

Sir, I beg to move.

Mr Goh Chew Chua: I second the motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (2) of section 490 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance (Chapter 207), resolves that the Shipping Casualties and Appeals and Re-hearings (Amendment) Rules, 1959, published as Notification No. S (N.S.) 164 in the Gazette Supplement No. 34 dated 6th November, 1959, as contained in Paper S.L. (New Series) 25 of 1959, be approved.