6.
7.
106
promised to send to the Committee any papers relevant
to its deliberations.
Mr. Sloss reported that the Scientific Committee
of the Preliminary Commission of UNESCO had furnished
copies of the priced inventories of bas.c laboratory
equipment prepared for the use of institutions in
devastated areas. At present day prices the total cost
of basic equipment ror physics, chemistry, botany, zoology
the medical subjects and engineering would probably exceed
Additional expenditure would be necessary
£120,000.
for many articles of special equipment and to make
provision for the very large amount of practical work
that had been found necessary for the training of
F.E. students. The difficulties
to shortage and
competition for existing supplies was discussed and
the Committee expressed the opinion that the most likely
source of equipment was Japan and thought that the
University of Hong Kong ought to share in any reparations
in kind which might be available. The Secretary reported
that a proposal to this effect had been made some time
8go to the Foreign Office, but it was not known how the
Matter stood at present. The Committee requested
that the Secretary should write to the relevant authority
acknowledging the usefulness or the lists of laboratory
equipment which had been loaned; pointing out the dangers
arising from competition among British institutions in
the East and institutions in devastated areas in Europe for
available stocks and enquiring whether it would be possible
for some scheme to be adopted coordinating these demands.
The Committee considered a telegram dated 28th January
from the Commander-in-Chief, Hong Kong to Mr. Sloss (HKUAC 17)
and decided:-
(a) that rehabilitation of buildings might with
advantage be taken in hand as early as possible;
(b)
that Mr. Sloss' presence in England was desirable
/until