54147/48
Secretary of State's
enquiry
This means the abandonment of
Answer
49
the scheme suggested by the Special Commission?
This means that the Foreign Office do not come into the picture?
again L
This means that the University will serve the limited purposes of the Colony only and not meet' the Anglo-Chinese argument for students from China?
How does the finance fit into the general development plan?
Will it mean that other services will be starved?
The wider scheme has only been deferred. We hope that it will be possible to consider it/when the position here permits of a grant from U.K. funds.
The Foreign Office are not so much concerned as they were with the larger scheme designed to provide increased facilities for students from China. The present proposals which aim at re-establishing the University on its pre-1941 basis are, however, of some interest to the Foreign Office since they will provide some facilities for student from China, and we shall keep in touch with the Foreign Office.
See above. In the period 1928-1938 approximately 30% of the students of the University came from China.
Since the rehabilitation and development of Hong Kong must be regulated for some little time to come by the money which can be made available for it, the expenditure of Hong Kong funds on the University will naturally affect other development and rehabilitation.
The call on labour and materials will have a similar effect.
We could reasonably assume that th would not, but if confirmation is needed, we should have to get it from the Governor.
Far Eastern Dept. 'B'
11.2.48.