PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS (Debate on the Address)

The Leader of the House (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present, under Standing Order 33, to move a motion to enable the debate on the President's speech to go on till 12.30 pm tomorrow?

Mr Speaker: I give my consent. Is it the pleasure of hon. Members that the motion be moved?

Hon. Members: Aye.

Mr Dhanabalan: Sir, I beg to move,

That, not withstanding the Standing Orders, the debate on the motion for an Address of Thanks to the President for the Speech which he delivered at the Opening of the First Session continues on Friday, &h March 1985 and, if not concluded earlier, be brought to a conclusion at 12.30 pm at that day's sitting.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the President's speech and the debate on it has aroused considerable interest and many Members have indicated that they would like to speak. It appears that not all of them will have an opportunity to speak in the debate if we were to finish the debate today.

At the same time, Sir, the Minister for Finance has asked that he be allowed to deliver his Budget statement at 2.30 pm tomorrow. Since we have the morning, we can use it profitably to finish the debate and wind up the debate on the President's address. Thus, I am moving this motion.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, the debate on the motion for an Address of Thanks to the President for the Speech which he delivered at the Opening of the First Session continues on Friday, 8th March 1985 and, if not concluded earlier, be brought to a conclusion at 12.30 pm at that day's sitting.