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that he will be consulted regarding the composition of the steering committee which it is suggested should be set up to decide on the broad outlines of a plan.
8. The primary purpose of this letter is to deal with the points on which Mr. Bevin in his letter of the 24th of August asked for ir. Hall's views and it is not proposed at present to attempt to submit a comprehensive statement of the views of the Colonial Office on all aspects of the report. It is assumed that further opportunities of commenting on the wider issues arising out of the report will be afforded later. It is, however y desired. to. nake the following observations on certain points in the report at this stage.
9. Building up of University Departments. Paragraph 57(1) suggests that the University Grants Committee might be invited to set up a specialist sub-committee on the lines of its existing Medical Sub-Committee, to exercise general surveillance over the progress. of the scheme and in paragraph 59 it is further suggested that this sub-committee should assist the University Grants Committee in distributing Exchequer grants to the Universities. It is assumed that the membership of the proposed sub-committee would include persons having special knowledge of the Colonies.
10.. International African Institute. Mr. Creech Jones fully shares the view taken by the Cermission of the importance of the Institute to African studies and unreservedly supports the suggestion that His Majesty's Government should make a free annual grant to the Institute of not less than £1,500.
11. Centres of Study Abroad. (Paragraphs 53 and 54). Mr. Creech Jones welcomes the proposal to establish centrès abroad and would wish to be closely associated with the steps taken to put it into effect in regions with which the Colonial Office is concerned. It is suggested that, wherever possible such cen.res should be linked with Universities or University Colleges.
12. It is observed that paragraph 54(c) of the Report envisages the establishment of a Research Institute for Chinese studies and that Peking is mentioned as the most suitable location for the Institute. In this connection it is desired to draw attention to the plans now under consideration for a great strengthening of Hong Kong University. It must be pointed out that these plans, which had not been formulated at the time when the Commission was considering this matter, contemplate that Hong Kong University will become an important centre for Chinese studies and will attract considerable numbers of students from China. As Mr. Bevin is aware, these plans, which have been worked out in detail, envisage that the University will in fact perform a function similar to that proposed for the Peking Institute: It is possible that there is need and scope for both institutions and that they would supplement each other but, inasmuch as Hong Kong University has the merit of being already in existence, it is hoped that no steps will be taken to pursue the proposal to establish an institute in Peking without a further opportunity being given to the Colonial Office to state its views in full.
13. In conclusion, I am to say that in general Mr. Creech Jones heartily endorses the Commission's recommendations and is anxious that this Department should assume a full share of the work of creating machinery for implementing them. Accordingly, he trusts that the Colonial Office will be consulted as to the membership of any bodies which may be set up to consider matters in which it is interested.