TELEPHONE
ABINGER HAMMER 79.
STATION
COMSHALL, S.R.
LITTLE
PARKHURST,
ABINGER COMMON,
NA DORKING,
SURREY.
28
24th March, 1930.
Dear Mr. Mayhew,
Yes,
I am very well aware of the financial difficulties of the Hong Kong University, and it was only on Tuesday last that I asked Lord Passfield whether it would be any use my going down on my knees to beg him to give a larger share of the Boxer Indemnity to the University, but his reply was that the matter had been decided and could not now be changed. The Boxer Indemnity now amounts to about 11 million sterling, and I said I wanted nothing less than one million.
Amery, when in Office, took a very generous view and was prepared to support the largest possible grant, but he was handicapped by the Report of Lord Buxton's Committee. I spoke to Buxton, but he was very obstinate, and he in turn was tied by the finding of Lord Hillingdon's Commission.
A Chinaman named Ting was a member of that Commission, he is the Head of the Geological Survey of China, and a great friend of Professor Gregory. I got Gregory to write to him to get his support, but I have now got a reply that when Ting was travelling in Yu Nan with a friend they were caught by brigands. The friend was scuppered and Gregory is uncertain whether Ting escaped or not.
At our last Education Meeting I was about to call attention to the various allusions in the Malay Education Report on the value of the Hong Kong University to their students, but it is difficult to interpolate a remark at the Committee.
I enclose a letter which I received a few days ago from Clementi on the subject.
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