January 18, 1909.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE ŘEPORT.
THE PROPOSED HONGKONG|kong University. The Special Committee shall decide apon the faculties to be instituted, one of UNIVERSITY.
which shall be the faculty of medicine, engage the necessary staff, and admit 88 under graduates:-
THE GOVERNOR'S APPEAL.
ENDOWMENT FUND OF £110,000 REQUIRED.
His Excellency the Governor has issued the following appeal for an endowment fund for the University which Mr. H. N. Mody has generously offered to erect at an estimated cost of $290,000:-
(a.) All who are at that date students of the
Hongkong College of Medicine.
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results, they are not of course recognised qualified medical practitioners by the General Medical Council of Great Britain or by the Hongkong Government. The College has no buildings. Students live in lodgings and attend lectures at various hospitals. Until recently the lecturers gave their services entirely gratui (b.) Such additional students, not beingtously, but they now receive a small fee. The members of the College, as have passed College depends for its funds on the fees of the Senior Oxford or ambridge Local students and a Government grant of $2,500 per Examinaion or an equivalent test. annum and there are three scholarships. 11. That the Managing Body of the Univer- sity shall thereafter be such as is prescribed by Ordinance.
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12. That the course of study of the various faculties shall be such as may be prescribed by the Managing Body-the course for medicine being not less than five years. Provided that students of the Hongkong Cellege of Medicine at the time of its incorporation shall enter with the seniority as to curriculum which they had attained in the College, with a minimum course of two years at the University.
At the end of 1906, the College received a bequest of property valued at $10,000, under the will of Mr. Tang Chuk Kai, and in 1907 Mr. Ng Li Hing offered to erect a building on a site promised by Government. The College therefore was justified in commencing its build ings and in an appeal for an Endowment Fund. In 1908 the project of a University was brought forward by the offer made by Mr. Mody who was prompted to the idea by a hope expressed by myself then addressing different schools in the Colony, that the inauguration of a University might not be long delayed. On the receipt of Mr. Mody's offer I at once con- ferred with the Court of the Medical College, and they agreed to defer their buildingsitera. tions until it should apppear whether the in
A public spirited citizen (Mr. H. N. Mody) has offered to present to the olony the build. ings necessary to start a University. His orginal offer was to give a sum of $150,000 for this purpose and a further sum of $30,000 towards endowment. Plans of the necessary buildings were prepared at his instance, and generally speaking they appear suitable. The Colonial Director of Public Works, however, estimated that the buildings proposed would 13. That so soon as there shall be under- cost not less than $290,000, Mr. Mody there graduates qualified to go up for their final upon undertook to provide the buildings in examination, the London or other British accordance with the plans which he had ap- University be requested to conduct the ex- proved, no matter what the cost might be, lamination for degrees, and that as soon as one, stipulating, however, that he should use on the or more students of the Hongkong Univer-versity Scheme would take definite alape, buildings the $30,000 originally given for en-sity have thus graduated, the Governor be dowment, if it should be required.
I called a meeting of representative men of the Colony to discuss this offer, and the pro- ject of establishing a University. The follow- ing resolutions were eventually passed:-
1. That it is desirable that a University should be founded in Hongkong.
requested to apply to His Majesty in Council for the grant of a Royal Charter.
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on the understanding that the first faculty created in the University should be one for medicine, and that if the Medical Col- 14. That in passing the previous resolutions kere were incorporated in the University its to give effect to the project of establishing a existing students should be at once admitted University in lengkong this committoo under- as undergraduates. The discussion of the stands that the objects of such a University scheme les been very protracted, and mean- will be to afford a higher education, more while the sps which the College of Medicine especially in subjects of practical utility, such was about to take to erect buildings and .to as Applied Science, Medicine, etc., on the lines appeal for an endowments have been necessarily of such Universities as Leeds and Birming-postponed. It is consequently of grave import- ham, and to confer degrees of a standard ance to them that a final decision should be not inferior to those conferred by such reached without delay, and that the University 3. That so soon as the approval of the Secre- Universities in Great Britain; to develop buildings should be begun as soon as possible. tary of State has been obtained a Special om- and form the character of students no less As I have already explained, the commence- mittee of twelve persons be appointed by the than their intellectual faculties; to offer equal ment depends on the result of the appeal for Governor to approve the design and to super-facilities for students of all races; to extend the endowment funds, and the offer to erect the vise the erection of the buildings.
buildings is left open for six months to prove that result.
2. That the Secretary of State for the Colonies be requested to approve of the proposed site (near the junction of the Pokfulum and Bonham Roads) on which buildings for this purpose be Brected.
4. That the erection of the buildings should commence so soon as their design has received the approval of the Special Committee.
5. That while the buildings are in process of erection the Special (ommittee shall endeavour to obtain funds for the furnishing and equipment of the buildings and for the endowment of the proposed University.
6. That the minimum required for furnishing and equipment of the buildings is £10,000, and that the endowment required is a sum the interest upon which will not be less than £6,000 per annum exclusive of Government grants.
7. That the custody and investment of all contributions and benefactions received be the duty of the Special Committee.
8. That, if, when the buildings are complete, an endowment of £6,000 per annum has not yet been obtained, the Hongkong College of Medicine and Technical Institute shall forth- with be located in the said buildings, and be conducted therein on the basis upon which they are then being conducted, and that the said College and the said Institute shall continne in occupation of the buildings until such time as the endownment of £6,000 per annum shall have been collected.
knowledge of the English language in the Far East; and to promote a good understanding with the neighbouring Empire of China.
15. That these resolutions he submitted to the Hongkong College of Medicine and to Mr. Mody and that, if the latter assents to them, his generous offer be accepted."
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iShing Institute of $1,000 per annum and fees of students (amounting to about the same as those of the Medical College, viz, $2,100 per annum). With this may also be included the local branch of the Royal Sanitary Institute.
It was the unanimous opinion of the gen. oral meeting, that the two faculties of primary importance to Chinese, the establishment of which should take precedence of any others, were those of Medicine and Applied Science Those resolutions were (in accordance | (Engineering). As regards the former it has with No. 15) submitted to the Hougkong already been seen how intimately the origin of Medical College and to Mr. Mody. The former the University will be connected with the accepted them unreservedly, the latter replied existing College of Medicine. In regard to that after careful consideration of the resolutions | science it will be noted that allusion is made in (with which in the main he agreed) he regretted | resolutions to the "Technical Institute." This that he could not find himself in accord institution, consists of lectures given in the with the proposal to commence building evenings to classes in various subjects, expeci- as soon as the Secrteary of State had approved ally engineering and its allied studies. The of the proposed site, and the designs had been lecturers receive feos, and apparatus and leg- approved. He demurred to the proposal that ture-goons are provided by Government. The the endeavour to obtain funds for the equipment Funds consist of a Government Grant (at pre- and endowment of the University should be sent $13.331), a contribution from the (hinese) undertaken only when building operations are in actual progress. He stated that it was his ambition to see this University established and working during his life-time, but that he did not propose to spend so glare a sum without some assurance that, when completed, its original object will have been attained, and that the building will not become merely a home for the 9. That in view of paragraph 5 of the minutes College of Medicine and Technical Institute, of a meeting held on the 13th March at Govern however worthy and deserving these institutions ment House and of the fact that the College of might be. He pointed out that the sum stated Medicine will assist the canvass for funds to be required for furnishing, equipment and towards the endowment of the proposed endowment represented a capital fund of about Hongkong University, the annual interest on £110,000 or $1,250,000 which must be raised by *such instalments of the said endowment as may subscription before the University could become be collected be devoted to strengthening the operative. He urged that immediate steps teaching staff of the Hongkong College of should be taken to invite subscriptions and Medicine to the extent of the provision of the stated that he would leave his offer open for six salaries of two permanent lecturers in anatomy months from 1st January, 1909, with this object. and physiology and of such further
Before proceeding further it is necessary out of annual interest as may in the opinion of to explain the allusions to the "Hongkong the Special Committee be necessary for the Medical College," which appear in the resolu- maintenance of such portion of the buildings as tions. This College was founded in 1887 for may be allocated to the College of Medicine. the education chiefly of Chinese in medicine and 10. That so soon as the Special Committee surgery. During the 21 years of its existence reports that the said endowment has been over 102 students have been enrolled, 36 havo collected, the College of Medicine and the been declared to be qualified to practise as Technical Institute shall be incorporated"Licentiates and 24 are still undergoing and their endowments shall, subject to their training. The diploma of qualification the consent of the donors, be transferred however, does not represent a medical degree to the new institution, provided that it has been and though the licentiates have practised in incorporated under local Ordinance as the Hong- the Colony and elsewhere with very excellent
Sums
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It is proposed then to amalgamate these institutions in the University when it is in- augurated, and their assets and endowments will, with the consent of the donors be taken over by the University. The first two faculties established will be Medicine and Applied Science and an adequate staff of Professors and of local lecturers will be engaged to give in- struction in these subjects. Degrees will only be conferred upon students who attain a stan- dard equal to that required in England, and the entrance examination will be similar to that [required in Home Universities. It is proposed that when there are students ready to present themselves for degree examination the King-in- Council shall be petitioned for the grant of a Royal Charter. It is possible that the London or other Home University may be willing to conduct the examinations and issue degrees pohding the grant of a charter. In any case we desire that the degree issued shall be in no way inferior to that given by a European or American University and shall be as widely and fully recognised.
So soon as a sufficient endowment fund has been subscribed, and the donor of the buildings is willing to commmence their erection, the
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