CO129-507-1 Proposal to dispose of Boxer Indemnity funds- claim by Hong Kong university 21-12-1927 - 24-7-1928 — Page 25

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They are also inclined to hand back the accumulated

balance of £2,500,000 now in our hands, but think

this can wait (it will need an Act of Parliament,

while releasing future instalments only needs a

Resolution of the House of Commons).

Obviously if all the Foreign Office pro-

posals are approved the last chance of getting any-

thing for Hong Kong University will disappear. We

need not dispute the advisability of abandoning

but

future instalments; it is possible that they might

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be persuaded to agree to assistance to the University

being given out of the balance now in hand. That

balance is £2,500,000; Sir C. Clementi asked for

£1,400,000 for the University (See despatch of

18.10.26, para. 15, 21 519/26) and the balance might

perhaps be devoted to the Canton loop-line.

The Secretary of State may, there fore,

wish to circulate a memorandum to the Cabinet,

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referring to his previous memorandum of December

4th. Ouusly. Joe's mens, of 1.2.28 (No. 4 (b), 1926 (21 519/26) and urging the claims of Hong Kong

on the lines of his letter to Lord Cushendon

(No. 24).

(2) The Foreign Office have treated us very

discourteously (if not dishonestly) over this as

they sent us no copies of the telegrams exchanged

with Peking. This matter is of importance to

Hong Kong. The Governor has personally and vigorously

interested himself in it, taking the trouble, during

his leave, to discuss it with Foreign Office repre-

sentatives and with Lord Buxton, and trying to arrange

for