54147/51
10
128
C.D.W.(D) No.1984
HONG KONG
University
Interim Grant of £50,000
In March and April, 1950, Dr. Mouat Jones and Mr. Walter Adams of the Inter-University Council visited the University of Hong Kong and recommended inter alia that a Colonial Development and Welfare grant of £250,000 from the Higher Education Allocation should be made to the University to assist the schemes for capital development described in their report. In June, 1950, the Colonial University Grants Advisory Committee supported this recommendation and in the sane month the Governor was informed that the allocation had been approved. In further correspondence the Governor of Hong Kong informed the Secretary of State that the Vice-Chancellor of the University had furnished evidence that the University authorities could meet the conditions set out in the Colonial office memorandum of July, 1948, in order to qualify as an administering authority for Colonial Development and Welfare schemes, and the Secretary of State agreed that the University might administer Colonial Development and Welfare grants.
2. In December, 1950, the Governor forwarded an approximate estimate of expenditure over three years of a total of £500,000 million C.D. and W. Grant and million grant already promised by His Majesty's Government7:-
1950/51 1951/52
1952/53
Total
£
82,000
293,000
125,000
500,000
The Governor also promised that a detailed scheme covering this expenditure would be submitted as soon as possible.
3. In February, 1950, Professor Gordon Brown of the University was sent to Europe to order steel and fittings to enable work to be continued. This step became necessary because owing to the American embargo prices in Hong Kong have risen beyond all reasonable levels and materials are becoming unobtainable. He obtained options in Britain on all the fittings required and in Belgium for 750 tons of steel. The fittings are for staff flats, the Students Union, the extension to the Main Building, a new Pathology building, new accommodation for Chemistry, a new Library, a new Dining Hall and a new Clinical Centre. (See details in the attached appendix).
40 If these options are to be taken up it is essential that the University should be granted the necessary funds as urgently as possible and it is proposed therefore that funds should be released, as to £50,000 from the Colonial and Middle Eastern Services Vote for 1950/51 (this money has already been voted); as to the remaining £50,000 from the £250,000 Colonial Development and Welfare allocation already set aside for the University. This latter proposal has received the endorsement of the Colonial University Grants Advisory Committee and it is hoped that the grant can be made without delay.
5. This is an Interim scheme submitted now only in view of the urgent need to secure funds. It is intended to fit in with, not to be substituted for, the detailed soheme promised by the Governor of Hong Kong.
6. The usual financial summary is attached.
Colonial Office,
7th March, 1951.