Note on present position regarding
Hong Kong University.
(20th December, 1947)
56 se
The Secretary of State last saw this file between the
15th and 20th August (see minutes), soon after we had received
the Treasury's letter of 11th August at No.37, saying that
the question of the grant of direct financial assistance from
the United Kingdom to the scheme for rehabilitation of the
Hong Kong University on an extended basis should be deferred
owing to the crisis.
With the Secretary of State's approval, this view was
accepted here, but in accepting it at No.40 we asked the
Treasury to give assurances (a) that favourable consideration
would be given to the proposals as soon as the financial
situation should improve, and (b) that if we were able to
find funds from sources open to the Hong Kong Government
towards meeting part of the cost of the re-establishment of
the University, which was to have been met from United Kingdom
funds, any such expenditure would be repaid from United
Kingdom funds at a later date. The Treasury replied on
12th September that they were unable to give such assurances
(No.44).
In September-October, Dr. Sloss, the Vice-Chancellor of
the University was in this country, and as a result of
discussions with him the personal telegram at No.45 was sent
to Hong Kong offering to approach the Treasury for a small
token grant towards the cost of re-establishing the University
on the 1941 basis, since Dr. Sloss had expressed the view
that even this limited assistance from the United Kingdom
might attract considerable local Chinese contributions.
The Governor replied (No.46) that he did not think such
a token grant would provide a greater incentive to local
contributors.