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of its fine equipment and furnishing. But the building is at least in as good a condition as when the builders called in the carpenters, electricians and plumbers when the Block was being constructed 5 years ago. Structurally the building is sound, save for one tempera- ture crack, which could be easily repaired. If the requisite material were available the whole structure could be apeedily rendered serviceable and might temporarily house the whole Faculty of Medicine. The Engineer- ing Laboratories (Nos. 15-17) have suffered very little, and the Peel Laboratory is at present being used by the Naval Radio-Engineers. The story in the case of the Schools of Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology and Surgery is very similar (Nos. 18-21). Great devastation has been done in the Students' Hostels, May Hall, Eliot Hall a nd Lugard Hall, (see Nos. 22-26). Here, all floorboards, wooden stairways and joinery of every description have been removed by the local population for use as firewood. Sanitary fittings have been wantonly destroyed or removed. Foundations, walls and roofs are sound, however, and repair would not be impossible. Concrete, instead of wooden, flooring might be consi- derade, and the provisions of dormitory instead of cubicle accomoda- tion for sleeping might cheapen the cost of residence for students. The staff residences (Nos. 3, 27, 28) show that only superficial re- pairs are necessary and (as stated by Lt.-Col. Amps) each building could be made ready for occupation by twelve men in a period of a fortnight. The libraries remain intact in structure, and virtually intact in their content (Nos. 29-31). This is th brightest spot in the present state of the University. The Fung Ping Shan Library is a relatively new building and contains a fine collection of marka Chinese books. The General University Library has a very large collec- tion of works on all subjects. The Hankow collection has had some of its contents removed by the Japanese, but the majority of the books remain. The Medical Library is almost untouched, the greater part of it having been found in a locked store room in the Queen Mary Hospital. The personal libraries of several of the Professors were also salvaged. All this was due very largely if not entirely, to the sterling efforts of the Chinese Librarian, Mr. Chan Kwan Po (No. 32) to whom all credit should be given.
The
This, then, is the present condition of the University. existing site is a splendid one and repair of the damaged buildings could be carried out easily and rapidly once material becomes available. The need for the early reconstitution of the University is urgent, and the Commander-in-Chief, Rear Admiral Sir Cecil H.J. Harcourt, gives it very high priority. Further, the need for economy becomes an increa- singly apparent, if unwelcome, necessity. The dictates of both economy and speed could be served by rehabiliatating the existing premises. The writer of this memorandum would therefore make the following recommendations:-
1. That rehabilitation of the existing premises be commenced at once. The earliest priority should be given to the Northcote Science Block, one or more of the Hostels and the staff Residences. Other buildings could be repaired later, even after the commencement of some of the University courses.
2.
3.
That Tuesday, October 1st, 1946 be set as the date of opening of the University with 1st year classes in Arts, Science, Medicine, and possibly Engineering.
That immediate arrangements be made in England for the recruiting