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60
AC No C.D.W. Sekemeffs.
16/3/47. In Iva Thomas
HONG KONG
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891
Apprentice scholarships in U.K. for graduales of Hong Kong University.
Application for an Interin Free Grant of £1,000
Before the war there was in existence a scheme whereby, with the co-operation of the Federation of British Industries and various engineering firms in this country, arrangements were made for a number of engineering graduates of Hong Kong University to be apprenticed in the United Kingdom for the purpose of further training and experience. Free passages were provided by a British shipping company and financial aid was given by the British Council and from the Boxer Indemnity Fund.
2.
These arrangements followed those adopted under the original F.B.I. scheme for graduates from Chinese universities which is financed by the Chinese Government, who pay return passages and incidental expenses and supplement the wages of students (which vary from £2.10.0 to £5.00 per week) so as to bring up their net income to £30 per month.
3. After the occupation of the Colony, a number of Hong Kong students found their way to Free China and, in December, 1943, the British Ambassador raised the question of whether arrangements could be made to send selected engineering graduates from Hong Kong to this country The under a similar arrangement to that existing before the war.
of F.B.I. agreed to lend their assistance, but free passages were, course, not available, nor could any assistance be obtained from the Boxer Indemnity Fund. As to the British Council, it had been decided, as a matter of policy, that the Council's awards should be confined to In these circumstances, those of an educational and cultural nature.
it was agreed that the total cost of bringing a limited number of engineering graduates from Hong Kong to this country and maintaining them here for two years should be met from Hong Kong Government funds. The Treasury concurred in this decision in a letter Nor S, 51336 of the 9th December, 1944.
4.
Ten scholarships were advertised and candidates were interviewed by a panel set up under the authority of the Ambassador in Chungking, but, for political reasons, the Chinese Government then made difficulties in granting the necessary exit permits, months of delay followed, and the war in the Far East was over before the selected students were free to travel. It was, therefore, decided that the awards should be limited to five in the first instance covering candidates from the Chungking and Yunnan Fu areas, and that further apprenticeships should be awarded in 1946 for Hong Kong graduates in the coastal areas.
5.
*The Trecoury concussed this decision in letter 5.51366 of the 9th December 1944, Prut pointed, out that this was a which would have been
schema
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For the reasons set out in Colonial Office letter No. 5366/12 of the 6th December, 1944, it was decided that this scheme should be financed from Hong Kong Government funds and not from a grant made under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act. The Governor of Hong Kong has now requested, however, that the cost of the second batek- students should be met from a free grant under the Act.
16.
financed under the Colonial Development & welfare Act. The "first five students arrived ing this country in 1946, and fand bring paid from Hong
NW
is a funds. It is proposed to award
4
vary.
Pivo
An application for the full amount of the expenditure required for five such scholarships cannot be made until the students have been placed with engineering firms, since the wages paid by different firms
The proposal is, however, that the wages received by each student should be made up to a not total of £30 per month, which-also-
The fire of 228 given overs payment during holidays and sick leave,
students and
ships to sad the fatch of five
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