LAND ACQUISITION BILL

4.03 p.m.

Order for Second Reading read.

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

The provisions of this Bill should come as no surprise to Members of this House. In June 1964, the Land Acquisition (Amendment No. 2) Bill, which proposed certain changes in regard to the law relating to the acquisition of private property for public purposes, was sent to Select Committee. The passage of this Bill was, however, delayed because of constitutional difficulties.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill embodies (in the form of a revised consolidated Act) both the provisions in the existing law, that is to say, the Land Acquisition Ordinance, Chapter 248, as well as the provisions in the Land Acquisition (Amendment No. 2) Bill. The major departures from existing legislation are:-

(1) the assessment of compensation provisions have been re-drafted on the basis of two principles enunciated by the Prime Minister in December 1963. Firstly, that no landowner should benefit from development which has taken place at public expense and, secondly, that the price paid on acquisition of land for public purposes should not be higher than what the land would have been worth had the Government not carried out development generally in the area, and

(2) provision has been made for the hearing of appeals by an Appeals Board instead of the Court as at present. Thus, the person who is aggrieved by the Collector's award will, under the new law, have the right of appeal to the Appeals Board, consisting of a Commissioner of Appeals or a Deputy Commissioner of Appeals either sitting alone or with two assessors, depending on the quantum of the award against which an appeal is made.

There are other changes in the proposed legislation which widen the powers of acquisition to meet various situations envisaged with urban renewal, industrialisation, etc. A more expeditious procedure for taking possession of land in cases of extreme urgency has also been provided for.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I have stated earlier, the main alterations proposed in this Bill were embodied in a previous Bill which went to Select Committee in June 1964, and at that time only one representation -- and that too a late one -- from the Real Estate Valuers Association of Singapore, was received. However, as this is an important piece of legislation, it is proposed to refer the Bill again to Select Committee in order to give members of the public an opportunity to put forward their views and representations.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not propose to dwell at length on the provisions of this Bill which will receive full consideration by the Select Committee. It is my hope that when representations are called for, those with positive contributions to make will come forward with their suggestions.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.

Mr Barker: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of eight Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of eight Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection.