HONG KONG UNIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Confidential
No. HKUAC 5
Copy of a letter from Professor Percy Roxby of the British
Council in China.
THE OFFICE OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH COUNCIL.
C/o British Embassy:
Chunghing,
30th August, 1945
Dear Miss Ruston,
31
HONG KONG UNIVERSITY
On my return from Kunming on Thursday, August 23rd,
Dr. Joseph Needham, who was on the point of leaving for the North West, showed me 9 memorandum which he had just written on the subject of the post-war reconstruction of Hong Kong University, together with a similar memorandum by Dr. Gordon King. He
invited me to make any other comments of my own and Dr. King, wiLom I saw for a few moments yesterday, ugust 29th, just before he left for Hong Kong also press me to do so. Under these circumstances I venture to esnt you a short supplementary statement, a copy of which is also being cont tu Dr. Gordon King who will, I think, show it to Vice-Che ncellor Gloss.
The Future of Hong Kong University
་
3
I find myself, in general agrequent with the main contentions and recommendations of Ir. Mesdham' and Dr. King's reports and
kawakiig endorse their view. But Hers Nong Univesity has r Hat dèy e next inzortant vole to slev in commotion with the zelahi:itation and reconstruction of thing, teal 12 macerid develop clões culturai retations with the Chlunge Doliy (sive, both Government and private, and that it shoul C.
re than a local institution serving limited ends.
I also s
thet
development of Hong Kong University· as an Express in" in br. 6. King's words,
"ef British policy towarda Okika and the Per Bast” and with
zu all Ching progremme" ? woule 15Wolve fa? ¿uter finaccial susport from Great Britain Man 1% Don hitherto received and that 19 cannot adequately support the role which 14 ought hereafter to ply on locally received funds alone. It is greatly to be hopeá
* the British Government will take a broad and generous view of the functione which Rong Long, no a high-grade and well endowed British University, is fitted to perform in ccmenting close culturṛl relatione and friendship between Great Britain and China. Whatever she future extension of ine potivitise of the British Cognoll in China, it is probably trus to say that Hong Kong University is potentially the largest single “cultural" contribution to Chine se reconstruction vi.leh Great Britain is capable of
contributing. Apropos of the rclationship between British Couboil go-ivities in China and the functions of Hong Kong Univeralty the following observation is perhaps rentinont. During the few. months I have been here in my prescat capacity as Chief Representati of the British Council, I have been greatly impressed by the very large number of promising young Chinese sonolers who are anxious to study in the British Universióleg and also by the anxiety of the Chinese Ministry of Education that ample facilities should be accorded for this purpose, I bave been recently approached
Joy