122
6.
7.
promised to send to the Committee any papers relevant
to its deliberations.
Mr. Sloss reported that the Scientific Committee
of the Preliminary Commission or UNESCO had rurnished
copies of the priced inventories of basic laboratory
equipment prepared for the use or institutions in
devastated areas. At present day prices the total cost
of basic equipment for physics, chemistry, botany, zoology the medical subjects and engineering would probably exceed
Additional expenditure would be necessary
£120,000.
for many articles of special equi ment and to make
provision Ior the very large amount of practical work
that had been found necessary for the training of
F.E. students. The difficulties due 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 or 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 me
to the Foreign Orlice, but it was not known how the
Butter stooa
The Committee requested
present
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
(b)
advantage be taken in hand as early as possible;
that Mr. Sloss' presence in England was desirable
/until