I have found that there are some three hundred or more amendments to these articles. If each one of the amendments is to be moved I do not know how many hours it will take if I am to allow ten minutes to each mover to speak. Many of these amendments overlap; many make only difference of a shade in their meaning; many make practically no difference except in their wording. There are some of course which are of a substantial nature. I, therefore, propose to take all the amendments as moved and ask the Members to start the discussion straightway. Every Member who wishes to speak is free to do so on his amendment, but he has to remember that he must confine his speech to about 10 minutes or 15 minutes at the most. If he wishes to cover all the amendments or all the propositions which arise, probably he will have no time to deal fully with the particular item to which he attaches importance. It, therefore, naturally follows that in observing the time-limit, Members may have to concentrate on particular points to which they desire to attach importance. If the house co-operates and if the Members co-operate, there is no reason why we should not be able to finish the discussion of this question within a reasonable time, as we have done with the rest of the Constitution. I would like to know if the House approves of die procedure which I propose to follow.
