SINGAPORE ASIAN SEAMEN'S CLUB INCORPORATION (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.20 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."

As all shipping and seamen's matters were in the past under the administrative control of the Master Attendant, the Singapore Asian Seamen's Club, which, provided accommodation as well as recreational facilities for visiting and local Asian seamen, was also left under his charge. For this reason, the Singapore Asian Seamen's Club Incorporation Ordinance, Chapter 319 of the Revised Edition, provides under section 7 thereof for the administration and management, of the Club to be vested in a Committee of Management of 12 members with the Master Attendant as its ex-officio Chairman.

Hon. Members are aware that the Master Attendant is a nautical officer with technical knowledge and experience of port administration, shipping and other related matters. The Government feels that it would be a waste of such technical knowledge to continue to encumber the Master Attendant with responsibilities for running the Asian Seamen's Club. With the seamen's welfare matters recently transferred to my Ministry, the Government seeks, through the Bill presently before the House, powers to enable me, as the Minister in charge, to appoint a person other than the Master Attendant to be Chairman of the Singapore Asian Seamen's Club Committee.

Mr Speaker, 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 Byrne].

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