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4. At our first meetings to hear oral evidence, Mr. M. B. Osman, M.B., B.S., the Assistant to the Professor of Pathology, appeared to represent his own views as well as those of the three other Assistants on the University Staff. We heard his evidence, which was most frankly given and was to the effect that these appointments were of a temporary character, that the holders of them did not contribute to the Superannuation Fund, and that the salaries attached to them were not unsatisfactory having regard to the opportunities for advanced study afforded. But he urged that some assurance of con- tinuity and promotion should be given to the holders of these offices. Similar represen tations were also made on behalf of certain gentlemen holding Demonstratorships in the Engineering, Chemical and Physical Departments.
5. It was after hearing the evidence of Dr. Osman that we took into consideration the scope of our enquiry, and that we came to the conclusion that posts such as his were excluded, and that the effective test of whether an appointment fell within that scope would be whether the holder contributed to the Superannuation Fund or not.
6. The University of Hong Kong is solvent in spite of the surprising fact that its expenditure is now just about ten times the sum of £6,110 which the Chater Committee in 1908 estimated as the annual cost of the maintenance of the University. The Estimates for 1929 show that its income is nearly $609.000 per annum and that income and expen- diture balance, except for a small deficit of about $5,000, which may be somewhat in- creased owing to the serious fall lately in the sterling value of the dollar. But it is quite clear that expenditure can not be increased at all unless there is a corresponding addition to the income of the University.
7. For the reasons that will appear when we come to deal with the present scale of salaries paid to members of the University Staff, we are of opinion that they are quite inadequate. We have had therefore, in making our recommendations under this head; to leave out of consideration the effect that any increases must have on the financial posi- tion of the University. If we had not done so, we could only have stated that it was im- possible for the University to incur any further expenditure.
8. In connection with the present sources of income of the University it is in- teresting to compare the position in this respect in Hong Kong with that prevailing in the United Kingdom; and Professor Forster, the Professor of Education, has prepared for us a memorandum on the financial assistance given to Universities in England, Scot- land and Wales, by the Government and by Local Authorities. This memorandum is set out in Appendix I to this Report. and makes it clear that, without this financial assistance, it would be practically impossible for any of the Universities in the United Kingdom to keep their doors open.
9. In Appendix II appears a Table which is based on the Report of the University Grants Committee to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury and deals with the academic year 1924-25. It sets out under six heads the sources of income of twenty seven Universities in the United Kingdom, and to these have been added corresponding figures for the University of Hong Kong; and it will be seen that the proportion which comes from endowments to the total expenditure of the University of Ilong Kong is nearly twice as great as that in the case of the Durham Colleges and of the University of St. Andrews which are the two best endowed bodies appearing in the Table. In the case of fifteen of the Universities shewn in the Table, this proportion is under 10% and in five of these Universities it falls to a figure below 5%.
10. The contribution made from Parliamentary Grants and by Local Authorities to the Universities shewn in this Table amount, in the case of most of them, to more than 0%; and Bristol University receives from these sources 70%; Exeter University College 78% Leeds University 59%; Nottingham University College 67%; Sheffield University 61%; and Aberystwyth University College 70%, of their total incomes respectively.
11. In striking contrast to these figures the University of Hong Kong receives, for the general purposes of the University, $50,000 per annum from the Colonial Govern- ment which represents 9% of its total income; and. to give an illustration of the position, an increase in the amount of the grant to $250,000 per annum would only bring the Government contribution to about 33% of the total income of the University. Further- more, as shewing the generous manner in which contributions have been made to the Endowment Fund of the University, the income derived from this source amounts to
3
about $300,000 or nearly five times the sum which, as mentioned in paragraph 6 of this Report, the Chater Committee, 1908, estimated as the probable annual expenditure of the University.
12. It was urged before us by some of the witnesses directly interested that. in conformity with the practice prevailing at many Universities, some distinction should be made between the salaries payable to the Clinical and pre-Clinical Professors and those of other members of the Staff. Were the University in possession of ample funds this argument might possibly be worthy of careful consideration, but, in view of the actual situation, we have not thought it right to suggest any differentiation between the various Chairs. We have also left untouched the position of the Registrar who, at present, is re- garded as being in the same grade as the Professors.
13. We now proceed to deal with the matters submitted to us for investigation under the respective heads set out in Your Excellency's letter of the 23rd September. 1929.
(a).-Salaries.
14. The Salaries which are at present paid to the various members of the Univer- sity Staff are the following:-
(1) Vice-Chancellor :-£2,000 per annum.
(2) Registrar:---£800 per annum, rising by £25 annually to £1,000.
(3) Professors:-£800 per annum, rising by £25 annually to £1,000.
(4) Readers -£600 per annum, rising by £25 annually to £750.
(5) Lecturers and Tutors :-£450 per annum, rising by £20 annually to £550
and then by £25 annually to £600.
(6). Engineering Lecturers:£500 per annum, rising after three years service
by £20 annually to £600.
(7) Librarian:-$4,200 per annum, rising by $300 annually to $5,400.
(8) Demonstrator in Electrical Engineering ...
Instructor in Workshop Practice
-£450 per annum, rising by
£10 annually to £500.
All the salaries, except that of the Librarian, are on a sterling basis and are paid locally in dollars at the average current rate of exchange for the month as determined by the Colonial Treasurer, or at exchange 2/ whichever is less.
15. Members of the University Staff receive no exchange allowances, nor have they received any additional remuneration to compensate them for the large increase in the cost of living which has occurred in recent years.
16. It will tend to make the financial position clear if we take the actual case of a professor newly arrived in the Colony, who is married, has two children, and finds that no house in the University Compound is available for him. For ease of calculation the dollar is taken at 2/-, so that, in respect of his salary of £800 per annum, he receives $8,000 from which must be deducted his contribution to the Superannuation Fund at the rate of 5%. This will leave him with $7,600 or about $630 per mensem.
17. As a professor is entitled to a free house, if one is available, together with certain allowances in respect of telephone, water and light, the particular professor, whose case we are considering, receives a rent allowance of $200 per mensem, but the evidence given before us goes to show that this amount is not sufficient to cover rent as well as telephone service, water and light.
18. But assuming that it is, this professor will receive $630 per mensem out of which he must pay the living and clothing expenses of his family and himself, meet any unexpected calls due to sickness or other causes of a similar character, and provide for insurance premiums; for no considerate man could leave a widow and children depen- dent on the tender mercies of the Superannuation Fund under existing conditions. We
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