CORPORATION DUTY (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

2.46 p.m.

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The main purpose of the Bill is to provide textual changes and changes of terminology necessitated by the separation of Singapore from Malaysia and its new status as an independent sovereign Republic.

The only amendment of substance relates to section 8 of the principal Ordinance by the addition of a new subsection to permit the Commissioner to waive the assessment and collection of duty under the Ordinance where such duty does not exceed $5. As the Ordinance now stands, the Commissioner is obliged to levy duty even for trivial amounts and this is administratively uneconomic.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Lim Kim San].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

2.49 p.m.

Clauses 1 to 5 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 6 -

The Chairman: Mr Minister, if you look at line 20 - clause 6 (b) : `by deleting the word "Crown" wherever they appear...', I take it that there is a clerical error - "wherever they appear" should read "wherever it appears".

Mr Lim Kim San: It is a question of grammar. I think "it" will be appropriate. Yes, "wherever it appears".

The Chairman: Is it the pleasure of hon. Members that the amendment be made as suggested - it is merely an error in drafting - that the words "they appear" will read "it appears"?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

The Chairman: Perhaps the Minister will now move it formally.

Amendment made: "In page 2, line 20, to leave out "they appear" and insert "it appears". - [Mr Lim Kim San].

Clause 6, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with an amendment; read a Third time and passed.