PINEAPPLE INDUSTRY (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

5.48 p.m.

The Minister for Law and the Environment (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Malayan Pineapple Industry Board is a joint Board with members from both Singapore and Malaysia. It has a representative each from the pineapple canners and the pineapple small growers.

Clause 2 seeks to increase the representation of these pineapple canners and small growers from one member to two members each. The Board will then have altogether nine members, including the Chairman. Singapore is represented by one member on the Board. With the increase in the number of members, the quorum of the Board is, therefore, to be increased from four to five.

The Board also wishes to be in a position to receive moneys from the Government. Clause 4 makes provision for moneys provided by Parliament to be paid into the Pineapple Industry Fund and for such moneys to be applied for any purpose within the objects of the Act, and to grant vehicle and house loans to its employees.

The Malaysian Government has already made the necessary amendments to its legislation.

To enable the Board to implement its decisions, it is necessary for Singapore to make the corresponding amendments to our Singapore Pineapple Industry Act.

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 E. W. Barker].

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