FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1960

Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [1st Allotted day].

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

3.05 p.m.

The Chairman: Will the Minister signify the recommendation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara before we proceed with the consideration of these Supplementary Estimates?

The Minister for Finance (Dr Goh Keng Swee): I so signify.

The Chairman: The First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960 (Paper Cmd. 9 of 1960). The summary is at page 10.

Head 9 -

The Chairman: There is an amendment standing in the name of the Member for Geylang Serai in relation to subhead 22.

Dato Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat (Geylang Serai): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 9 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 22.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the purpose of my amendment is to seek clarification from the Minister for Finance with regard to the actual cost of the motor launch and the probable expenditure for the carriage of mails. It would appear here, Sir, that the two separate expenditure have been lumped into one sum of $138,000.

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member has quite rightly noted that this particular item is, in fact, a composite one. This is done deliberately so that whoever will be supplying us with the new vessel will not know the amount that we are prepared to pay. So until tenders for the vessel have been called for and the deal closed, I am afraid this particular item must remain a secret.

Dato Abdul Hamid: Mr Speaker, Sir, in that event, could not a token vote of $10 be put in instead of the total amount?

Dr Goh Keng Swee: That could well be done, Mr Speaker, but it would mean a fair amount of tidying up has to be done in the Treasury records later, and since this expedient is open to us, it is probably as good as any.

Mr A. P. Rajah (Farrer Park): Mr Speaker, Sir, would it not be possible for these mails to be carried by launches belonging to the Police or some other department now under the control of the Government?

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Mr Speaker, the Curlew has been employed in carrying mails ashore for the Postal Department for the last 26 years or so. It was withdrawn from use at the beginning of this year on the recommendation of the Board of Survey, and it was then already 27 years old, and the Surveyor-General of Ships confirmed that further repairs and maintenance would be most un economic. Efforts were made to obtain a temporary replacement from among launches of other departments, but no vessel has been found with holds for the mail. The possibility of converting a vessel for this work has also been explored by the Surveyor-General, but with an equal lack of success.

The Chairman: Does the hon. Member wish a vote to be taken?

Dato Abdul Hamid: Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the explanation given by the Minister for Finance, I beg to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $138,000 for Head 9 ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960.

Head 49 -

The Chairman: There is an amendment standing in the name of the Member for Geylang Serai in respect of item (7) of subhead 1. It appears in page 7.

Dato Abdul Hamid: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 49 be reduced by $10 in respect of item (7) of subhead 1.

Here again the purpose of my amendment is to seek clarification from the Minister for Finance as to the term "Progress Assistants". I am just wondering what the duties and responsibilities of the Progress Assistants are.

The Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew): Mr Speaker, Sir, the department for planning is now under my charge, and I have inherited from the former Singapore Improvement Trust Miscellaneous Division, three appointments of Progress Assistants in the Planning Department. Two of the appointments were created in April 1955 and one in June 1957, when the Member for Geylang Serai was responsible for the Singapore Improvement Trust. The qualifications for these three posts are, School Certificate and seven years' clerical/administrative experience. The duties are as follows: registration of development applications, consultation on development applications, preparation of reports on planning applications, preparation of purchases of possession, maintenance of a close and thorough check on the progress of all development applications with a view to decreasing the time now taken to deal with them.

Dato Abdul Hamid: In view of the information, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $593,180 for Head 49 ordered to stand part of the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960.

3.15 p.m.

The Chairman: Heads of expenditure undisposed of. They appear in the Summary at page 10 of the Paper other than Heads 9 and 49, which we have just dis posed of. I propose to take those heads of expenditure* en bloc.

• Following are the heads of expenditure:- Head Title $ 7 Prime Minister ... ... ... ... ... ... 903,290 25 Contributions and Charitable Allowance ... ... ... 27,710 42 Defense Services ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 48 Advance Accounts ... ... ... ... ... ... 650,000 + Following are the heads of expenditure:- Head Title $ D. 13 Telecommunications ... ... ... ... ... 31,000 D. 34 Labour and Law ... ... ... ... ... ... 95,000 ------- Total to be voted ... 126,000 -------

Question, "That the sums stated for the heads stated in the summary of totals contained in Paper Cmd. 9 of 1960 other than for Heads 9 and 49 already disposed of, stand part of the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960", put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the sum of $2,312,190 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960 contained in Paper Cmd. 9 of 1960", put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

3.16 p.m.

The Chairman: Second Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960 (Paper Cmd. 10 of 1960).

No notices of amendments have been received. I therefore propose to take both heads of expenditure together. The Summary is at page 3.

Question, "That the sums stated for the heads stated in the summary of totals contained in Paper Cmd. 10 of 1960 stand part of the Second Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960", put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the sum of $126,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Second Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for 1960 contained in Paper Cmd. 10 of 1960", put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the Assembly.

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply have come to certain resolutions.

Resolutions read.

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Assembly doth agree with the Committee on the said resolutions.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolutions accordingly agreed to.