246
67. The answer is not far to seek. On the one side is China at last showing signs of becoming politically vertebrate, floundering between democrary and dicta- torship, trying to omit all the intervening evolutionary stages. On the other hand a Crown Colony with all the constitutional safeguards of political science (except the ballot-box) clearly defined.
68. The time may not be ripe and certainly the funds are not yet available. But we have visions of an Arts Faculty that would specialise in Political Theory, not as something as dead as an axiom of Euclid, but more in its historical and evolutionary aspect. Lecturers would be invited from Chinese Universities to keep that side of the historical question in view. Every few years there could even perhaps be a course of lectures from someone from England with sufficient amplitude of mind to realise what was expected of him. Above all there should be that complete freedom of thought and freedom of discussion which is as vital as fresh air where a University is concerned.
If such a dream could even partially be realised it is difficult to see what might not be the consequences on Asia and on civilization.
Salary Scales.
69. After careful consideration we have come to the conclusion that the scale of salaries recommended in the Gollan Report of 1929 was needlessly high. We have reached that conclusion keeping well in mind the cost of living in Hong Kong, the standard of living which it is desirable for a University staff to maintain and the problem of recruiting. The Gollan scale was:
(1) Vice-Chancellor :-£2,400 per annum.
(2) Registrar:£1,100 per annum, rising by £50 annually to £1,450. (3) Professors -£1,100 per annum, rising by £50 annually to £1,450. (4) Readers :-£850 per annum, rising by £50 annually to £1,100. (5) Senior Lecturer in English:-£750 per annum, rising by £40 to £950. (6) Junior Lecturer in English :-£600 per annum, rising by £40 to £680. (7) Lecturers in General:-£700 per annum, rising by £40 to £900.
70. At the present time members of the University staff are paid on the Gollan scale less 10%, so that the effective scale of the above salaries at present is :-
(1) £2,160 (2) £990-45-1305 (3) 990-45-1305
(4) 765-45-990
(5) 675-36-855
(6) 540-36-612 (7) 630-36-810
71. The following particulars of remuneration in Universities in Great Britain. are of interest and give the average salary for the various grades :---
Total number in
Average
Great Britain.
Salary.
Professors
842
£1,094
Readers, Assistant Professors and
independent Lecturers
364
661
Lecturers
1,382
471
Assistant Lecturers and Demonstrators.
831
310
Others
251
383
3,670