CO129-524-2 Hong Kong University- financial position- Chinese studies- future of the Chinese school and the Annual... 27-1-1930 - 12-8-1930 — Page 65

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years for that guarantee would merely enable the University to carry these students, who are now in the department, to the end of the course. The University must have an assurance that the grant will be an annual one and that it will not be discontinued without at least three years notice.

9.

I recognise the difficulties in the present position. The Secretary of State has definitely limited last year's grant to the

currency of a year and it is always stated that a Government cannot

commit its successors. The question of whether His Excellency can

give an assurance is obviously not one which the Council should

expect him to answer at a meeting of the University Council.

I recommend that the Council do instruct the Registrar to write

to Government explaining the position and setting out clearly the

conditions which must be satisfied before the Council can ask the

Finance Committee to agree to the University's accepting the finan- cial responsibility involved in the continuation of the Chinese

School. This letter should be accompanied by a report on the working of the School up-to-date.

10. There remains the question of Mr. Tang Chi Ngong's donation

of $60,000. There is a proposal that this sum should be combined

with a sum of $100,000 which has been offered by an anonymous donor

and a joint scheme for the construction of a building would accom-

modate both the Chinese School and the Chinese Library. This mat-

ter is dealt with in a separate note.

W. W. HORNELL,

Vice Chancellor. 7th May, 1929.

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