MESSAGE FROM MR ANTHONY ROYLE TO MR P Y TANG
Thank you for your letter of 11 May.
It was good of you to write so generously about our meeting during your recent visit to London.
Sir Leslie Monson has now received a letter from Sir David Trench, and it is clear from this, I am afraid, that there had been some misunderstanding between us about the possibility of a further grant. You will remember I told you during our talk that it was quite impossible for me to give you any kind of assurance that IMG would be able to help Hong Kong in this way. I explained that with Hong Kong doing so well economically it would be most difficult to secure agreement in London to any further grant to the Colony. I did however undertake to look into the matter. I have now done this and I am afraid that with things as they are I can see no hope of obtaining approval here of any further grant to Hong Kong, whether such a grant could be matched from Hong Kong's own resources or not.
It was only with the greatest difficulty that I was able to obtain agreement to the grant of €400,000 for the technical institutes, and I think it would be very wrong for me to give you the impression that a further grant in the near future is possible. This does not of course mean that if circumstances change and Hong Kong runs into sericus economic difficulties Her Majesty's Government will not be very ready to consider any representations Hong Kong may make.
Since you have already discussed this matter with Sir D Trench I have thought it best to arrange for this message to be conveyed to you by him.