COPY
D
Office of Mr. Justice Feetham
Room 341,
Administration Building,
Shanghai.
26
Lionel Curtis Esq.,
25th April, 1930.
Royal Institute of International Affairs,
Chatham House,
10 St. James's Square,
London, S.W.1.
My dear Curtis,
Since I last wrote to you, I have talked to A.G.Mossop, the Crown Advocate, whom you will remember as the South African who supplied you with Boer tobacco! I discussed with him the question of the Law School, and the choice between Shanghai and Hongkong. He was inclined to agree that the best plan would be to concentrate the main effort at Hongkong, so as to make a clean start.
While I am hoping to go further into the position here, I feel that it would probably be very difficult to get any first-rate man to take a hand as a member of the staff of the Law School in Shanghai. It seems very unlikely that conditions could be offered such as to give the newcomer a position of sufficient independence and authority. However, I have recently been approached by the authorities of the Law School here, and I hope to learn something more about it.
On looking at my previous letter of the 17th April, I do not think I sufficiently emphasised the advantages to be gained from
The planting a law school for the study of Chinese law at Hongkong. Chinese students who go to the Hongkong University have, in addition to what they learn in the lecture rooms, an opportunity of observing
They the working of a British Government and a British Court. could learn a good deal from both, especially from the latter, even
The though the system of law applied is British and not Chinese. serious student who made the best use of his opportunities could hardly fail to get some lasting impressions as to the value of a system which ensures a high standard of honesty among government officials, and independence and incorruptibility of the Bench.
If a law school with a satisfactory staff could be established at Hongkong, I have no doubt it could be arranged for members of the staff to visit centres such as Shanghai and Canton from time to time for the purpose of delivering courses of lectures, and this would help to advertise the merits of the Hongkong Law School and to attract students. There might be hostility to overcome in the first instance, but the serious student and capable exponent of law would, I believe, win for himself respect in China, just as we were told Streeter did by his lectures on religious questions.
With regard to Mossop, I should add that he has now left Shanghai on a long tour. He expects to reach London, via Japan and the United States, about the middle of June, and would be very glad to take part in any discussions you may be able to arrange with regard to the promotion of legal studies for the benefit of Chinese