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Winter Supplies, ansrom, building, defame measmes,
that the Hong Kong Government itself (and it will be noted that in No. 46 on 54147/47 Sir A. Grantham gave it not only as his own opinion but as that of members of the Council) that the University should reopen with such financial provision as was then in sight.
We therefore cannot accept the view that Hong Kong was "led up the garden path". The more correct view is that the University has been unfortunate in that the financial crisis in this country in 1947 prevented the implementation of the Cox recommendations; and in that, instead of recovering to the point where this country could afford to make the proposed provision, our finances have gone from bad to worse so that we are still not in a position to do it.
At the same time there can be no doubt about the deplorable effect on British prestige in the Far East of a decision that the activities of the University should have to be curtailed, or of the fact that this is an Imperial, and not merely a local Hong Kong interest.
It is also a fact that the Hong Kong Government has very heavy commitments ahead which it will be hard put to to meet, even if it is able substantially to increase its rate of taxation. This being so I am inclined to think that there would be a case for endeavouring to secure some further substantial assistance from the Treasury (on the understanding that it would be matched "dollar for dollar" by local contributions) if the Governor should come to the conclusion that the case would not be met by making available some of the Japanese assets for this purpose.
In any event, I hope that it will be possible for the Secretary of State to meet Sir A. Morse and Sir M.K. Lo to hear what they have to say about this matter (and this meeting would give him an opportunity for hearing from thlis
the Far Eastern situation generally). I know that the Secretary of State has had to make a rule that he would not grant individual interviews to members of the Colonial Delegations to the Festival celebrations. But this is a matter on which, but for the Festival, he would certainly be justified in seeing these delegates and it could be represented if necessary to other delegations that it is an official matter which happens to have arisen while they are here.
Fortunately I think the granting of an interview could be achieved without creating a precedent in that neither Sir A. Morse nor Sir M.K. Lo will be going to Edinburgh so that if the Secretary of State is willing, the interview can be granted while the other delegates are away from London.
It is slightly unfortunate that, in that event, the Secretary of State would have to see these 2 members of the Hong Kong Council, without the third (Mr. T.N. Chau) who is the senior member of Executive Council, 'But Mr. T.N. Chau is an unassuming person and moreover, since he himself will be at Edinburgh, he will fully appreciate his being omitted from the party.
it is proposed Hat,
It will be seen that,if the Secretary of State agrees to receive Sir A. Morse and Sir M.K. Lo, Dr. Sloss, the late Vice Chancellor, and Mr. Walter Adams (who visited Hong Kong University last year) should also be present.
19th July, 1951.
I recoprise the
"Imperial
interest in
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