RUBBER ESTATES ASSESSMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.12 p.m.

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sections 3 (1) and 4 (1) of the Rubber Estates Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 168) prescribes the levy of assessment on rubber estates of 100 acres or more, and on estates of less than 100 acres respectively. The proviso to subsection (1) of these two sections of the principal Ordinance prescribes the payment to the Comptroller of an additional rate of $8.75 per quarter per acre in respect of those rubber estates in which no rubber trees are tapped or in which rubber trees are not tapped to the satisfaction of the Comptroller. The levy of a tax as provided under the provisos to sections 3 (1) and 4 (1) of the Ordinance was imposed to discourage the alienation of land for rubber, and as a measure to deter an owner of a rubber estate from evading tax by tapping trees once or twice a quarter in order to pay the rate for the rubber produced which would be small. It was not intended that this rate should be in addition to the rates imposed under the other subsections (3) and (4) of the Ordinance.

The object of the Bill now before the House is to amend the principal Ordinance so that the additional rate of $8.75 per acre should be levied in lieu of, and not in addition to, the rates prescribed in sections 3 (1) and 4 (1) of the principal Ordinance. It was not the intention that this rate should be additional to those prescribed in sections 3 (1) and 4 (1) .

The functions of the Minister prescribed under section 3 (3) of the principal Ordinance are now conferred upon the Comptroller of income Tax.

The Bill also empowers the Minister, instead of the Comptroller of Income Tax, to prescribe the rate of assessment levied under subsection (2) of section 4 in respect of rubber estates of less than 100 acres.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second timer and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill-[Dr Goh Keng Swee]

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