CO129-507-1 Proposal to dispose of Boxer Indemnity funds- claim by Hong Kong university 21-12-1927 - 24-7-1928 — Page 59

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of public utility.

The Cabinet were also reminded of a recent

telegram in which it was stated that a Minister of the

Nationalist Government had laid some emphasis on the

importance of re-conditioning the railways.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer having consented

in deference to the views of his colleagues, to resign the

Treasury claims,

The Cabinet approved the proposals of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who undertook to do his utmost to try and secure the expenditure of as much of

the funds as possible on railway construction, etc.,

and to obtain the allocation of some part of it to Hong

Kong University, though he could not hold out much

hope of securing a large sum for this purpose.

Sir Austen Chamberlain asked the President of the

Board of Trade to let him have a short Memorandum

regarding the sort of works he contemplated. While the proposal of the Secretary of State for the

Colonies was understood to apply only to the

accumulated funds, Sir Austen Chamberlain hoped that

the expenditure on constructive work might perhaps be applied both to the accumulated funds and to the

annual amounts surrendered.