ction already aken to restart Higher Education.
Opinion favour- ing developed University.
138
15. Meantime, there is no doubt that the revival of the Colony requires immediately some provision for forms of higher educa- tion, and whatever the future status of a higher education institution, the immediate provision must be built on the existing University foundations. The Commit tee therefore approves of what has been done by the statutory Hong Kong University Provisional Powers Committce to achieve this end, since what it has done and proposes to do will not prejudice the larger issues that this Committee submits to the judgment of His M jesty's Government. (Te measures are outlined in Appendix IV).
9
16. The Committee has been influenced in reaching its decision to recommend the Jevelopment of a worthy British University by the opinions of those of its members and its correspondents who can claim to know China and to be in a position to measure Chinese opinion. Sir H. Prideau Brune some time His Majesty's Charge D'Affairs in Chungking has pointed out that the future
rspority and welfare of the foreign Community in China will be affected by the attitude and outlook of the Chinese cducated classes. It has been pointed cut by another authority that till now China has most often turned to people for help in higher education. The Commonwealth, despite
notable offorts mainly by the British Missionary Societies which have lacked funds, porscrmol and sometimes have depended on international associations for their funds, has achieved so little that the British name is associated in the Chinese mind with questions of commerce rather than of culture.
Viewing the situation as he saw it in Chungking, Professor P.M. Roxby, the chief representative of the British Council in China wrote in August 1945: "It is greatly to be hope that the British Government will take a broad and gonerous view of the functions that Hong Kong University as a high-
rade and well-endowed University, is fitted to perform in cementing close cultural relations and friondhsip with China.
Whatever the future extension of the activities of the British Council in China, it is probably true to say that Hong Kong University is, potentially, the largest single "cultural" contribution to Chinese reconstruction which Great Britain is capable of contributing".
Dr. Joseph Needham F.R.S., Head of the British Scientific Mission in China, welcoming the proposal of a generously developed University in Hong Kong as an instrument for the diffusion of the British tradition in
education