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China Indemnity
10 FEBRUARY 1931
One other point I would ask the hon. Gentleman to consider. I understand from what my Noble Friend said that the China Parliamentary Committee is to be constituted and its functions defined by a Royal Charter. I do not think that Royal Charter has received the Royal proval yet and I presume it cannot have been laid before Parliament. Does he not think it would be fair to allow Parliament to see what is the constitution and what are the powers of the body to which is to be entrusted this sum be- fore we finally decide whether to leave everything to their discretion, or whether it is desirable that the House should formally indicate its own wishes as to the form which the expenditure of part of this money should take. I submit that it really would be improper to part with the Bill without knowing whether the Amendments which the Government are ready to make in another place can be considered by that House; and it is, in addition, highly desirable that we should have a draft of the Charter before us when determining what powers we en- trust to the Committee and what limita- tions we impose upon those powers.
Sir JOHN WITHERS: I wish to rein- force the remarks of my right hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich (Sir Austen Chamberlain). The whole point is a very short one. As far as the Charter which has been indicated to us is concerned it would not enable the committee to make university grants. If that is so, the whole idea of benefiting the university goes by the board. If there is difficulty the Government should appreciate it and enable us to discuss with them the provisions of the Charter, to see whether they have the powers to do what they wish to do. I think there is nothing more to be said on the matter.
Captain BOURNE: I wish to deal for a minute with a point of procedure. In view of your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, I will ask the Government to postpone the con- sideration of this Bil for a short time. If, as you have indicated, this may be a Money Bill it is obvious that it cannot be amended in another place. The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, speaking to-night, has indicated that the Government are willing to con- sider certain Amendments. I am not in a position to say whether those
(Application) Bill. Amendments are desirable or not, but I urge that the House should have the opportunity of considering them if they cannot be moved in another place. This seems to be a very strong argument for the Government to consent to postpone for a short time the Amendments put on the Paper. I do not believe that this Bill is so urgent that a week's post- ponement will do any harm, and I feel that it is most desirable that there should be a postponement.
Mr.
CHURCHILL: Surely we are going to have an answer from the Government?
Mr. GODFREY WILSON: It is only fair to explain why at the last moment this question should be brought up. i should like to make it clear that it was only last Sunday that the Vice-Chan- cellor of Cambridge University sent for me and showed me a letter he had re- ceived from the Secretary of the Univer- sity Bureau of the British Empire. In this memorandum, there is a draft Charter for the Universities China Com- mittee. The purposes which the Univer- sities China Committee are to follow are laid down, and those purposes, I think, I must be allowed to read.
"The purposes of the Universities China Committee, hereinafter called the govern- ing body, shall be:-
(1) to co-operate with the universities of the United Kingdom through the Univer- sities Bureau in arranging for representa- tive Chinese men and women to visit and lecture in this country, and similarly for British men and women to visit and lecture in China;
(2) to co-operate with other interested bodies in asssisting Chinese students in this country to find hospitality and suitable living accommodation;
(3) in consultation with the Universities Bureau and with university and other authorities concerned with higher educa- tion to advise Chinese students as to their course of studies in this country, and as to other matters connected therewith."
This is the important purpose:
(4) generally to encourage intellectual co-operation and to promote cultural re- lations between China and the United King- dom."
The point which universities. par- ticularly desire to press is that of No. 4 beginning with the word "generally," and following very specifically what is mentioned in 1, 2 and 3, which might easily be held to exclude the particular purposes which we have in mind, and is