INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.39 p.m.

The Minister for Labour and Law (Mr K. M. Byrne): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Bill seeks to amend the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance in view of recent constitutional changes. The definition of "British Commonwealth" is amended to include the Federation of Malaya, Pakistan, Ghana, and also any other country declared by Act of Parliament or Ordinance to be a Commonwealth country. The definition of "Singapore" is amended to bring it into line with the State of Singapore Act, 1958, and the definition of "High Commissioner" is deleted.

The Bill also seeks to give power to a Minister to delegate his power of signing documents to any public officer authorised by him in writing.

Sir, I beg to move.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr G. Kandasamy) in the Chair]

4.40 p.m.

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 Byrne].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair]

4.44 p.m.

Clause 1 -

The Chairman (Mr Kandasamy): There is a note:

In page 1, line 5, to leave out "1959" and insert "1960".

That will be done.

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 2 and 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment read the Third time and passed.