Minutes of the Fifth Meeting of the Municipal Constitution Committee held on the 23rd July, 1946, at the Municipal Conference Room,
Municipal Building, at 2.15 p.m.
Present:
Other members:
Mr. J. Laycock, Chairman. Messrs. W. Bartley
H.P. Bryson
Lee Chim Tuan
Tan Chin Tuan
N.A. Mallal
F.J. Kemlo and
Che' Abdul Aziz bin Ishak.
The amended minutes and the minutes of the meeting held on the 9th July and the 15th July, 1946 respectively, which had been circulated were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.
The suggestions for draft Report on the basis of decision of the Committee arrived at up to the 15th July, 1946, which had been circulated were considered sentence by sentence. A few improvements were made in the phraseology and arrangement.
The following questions arising out of the suggestions were discussed:- (1) Whether fixed date should be recommended to be set aside each
year for the annual election,
(2) Whether the figure of seven hundred and twenty dollars fixed for the property qualification for the office of Commissioner should be lowered, and
(3) Whether any ex-Municipal employee should be barred from holding
office as Commissioner.
On the first question some dates such as November 1st. and December 1st were considered. There was also a suggestion to fix the dato in a general way within a certain period, say between 15th November and 15th December. It was considered that the most suitable date would be a date that would not conflict with important days or holidays. Also, the day should be such that there would be sufficient time between the registration of electors and the actual election for the Rogistrar to hear and dispose of claims and objections and for appeals to be heard. The desire of the Chairman was to have an approximate date fixed. On the suggestion of Mr. Mallal the meeting agreed to recommend generally, in place of a fixed date, some date in each year that would not conflict with important days or holidays.
The second question arose out of a question from Mr. Mallal as to whether it was the intention of the wording of the section dealing with the property qualification for the office of Commissioner that any Commissioner should be a ratepayer paying rates on premises belonging to him of an annual value of not less than seven hundred and twenty dollars, or an occupier of such premises. The wording of the section taken from the Municipal Ordinance did not appear clear to Mr. Mallal. Mr. Tan Chin Tuan however, considered that the qualification for a ratepayer was unduly high compared with that of an occupier. He therefore proposed that in the case of the ratepayer the figure of seven hundred and twenty dollars be lowered to four hundred and eighty dollars. Mr. Mallal proposed that the figure of seven hundred and twenty dollars should stand for the ratepayer. The principle was to have candidates possessing sufficient means. The proposals were put to the vote, and the result being two for and five against Mr. Tan Chin Tuan's proposal and five for and two against Mr. Mallal's proposal. The recommendation regarding property qualification for the office of Commissioner therefore, remains unchanged.
It was generally agreed that a partner in occupation of any premises within the Municipality of Singapore whose individual share was not less than the qualifying figure of seven hundred and twenty dollars per annum should be qualified to be a candidate for the office of Commissioner. A proviso to this effect would be put in the section dealing with property qualification and considered at the next meeting.
The third question was brought up for discussion by Mr. Bortley when the disqualifications for the office of Commissioner were discussed, was thinking of the possibility of an ex-Municipal Head of Department being
He