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(1) Mr. Sloss, Mr. Cox, Mr. Paskin and myself met today to discuss in some detail the functions which the small finance committee should be authorised to assume by an Order in Council it being generally agreed that it would be appropriate to regularise the position of the committee by such means.
(2) (Throughout this minute I have used the term "small committee" to refer to the committee which it is proposed should deal with immediate financial questions now pressing for settlement and the term "large committee" to refer to the advisory body which it has been agreed should be convened to make recommendations (a) on the future status of the University, and (b) to advise on the steps necessary to
restart the work of the University on a short- term basis.)
(3) Mr. Sloss said that it would be necessary for the small committee to assume some of the functions of the Council of the University for the purpose of authorising payments of salary and terminating contracts and the Committee should be absolved from the provisions laid down under paragraph 11 of the University ordinance which states in effect that the Council shall not be able to authorise expenditure or receive monies without the previous approval of a finance committee.
(4) The question was raised of Mr. Morse's position. Mr. Sloss explained that Mr. Morse was not in fact the Treasurer of the University, but merely the banker in whose keeping the University funds have been lodged. The Treasurer of the University had been the Hongkong Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, who succeeded Mr. Morse, namely Mr. Edmondson, and he having died in internment, the appointment was vacant. Consideration was given as to whether the making of an Order in Council would be the appropriate occasion for indemnifying Mr. Morse against the actions he had taken (with the support of the Colonial Office) in connection with the payment of allotments to the de pendants of University staff, etc. To appoint a Treasurer, Mr. Sloss said, it would be necessary for the committee to assume the functions of the Court of the University, in addition to those of the Council and the Finance Committee and it was thought therefore that this elaboration had in the circumstances better be avoided.
(5) The question of whether the small committee should have powers to terminate the contracts of any of the present staff of the University raised some difficult issues. Mr. Cox made the point that if the larger
committee