CO129-527-18 University of Hong Kong- proposal to establish Department 28-5-1930 - 19-9-1930 — Page 22

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assist China in this colossal task which she had undertaken, and her new laws were chosen as an important subject of study and were expounded by competent men, I could not believe that there would be in the long run a lack of response. I was delighted to find that Hornell welcomed the idea. He said: "This is the sort of work for which the University of Hongkong exists". He gave me a copy of the University ordinance, which states, in its preamble, the objects of the University as including "the development and formation of the character of students of all races, nationalities and creeds, and the maintenance of a good understanding with the neighbouring country of China". But the University has at present no resources to enable it to tackle this work. It is very hard up and has great difficulty in securing enough money to carry on its present activities. Even if its gets what it hopes from the Boxer Indemnity (£250,000) Fund, I think the income of that money is mostly if not all earmarked

in advance for existing activities, including the improvement of the pay of the professors and lecturers, which is at present very inadequate. So that money must be provided for this special purpose if anything is to be done. Hornell is to write some notes on the subject which he will either send to you direct or forward through

me.

Sir Henry Gollan, the retiring Chief Justice, who has acted for some time as Vice Chancellor of the University in Hornell's absence, is also enthusiastic about the idea. I told him that you were interesting yourself in the question, and he told me that he would be glad to give any help he could. He expects to arrive in London towards the end of May, and his address will be the Savile Club.

You will remember our call upon him in his Chambers in January. He is a delightful person, and left Hongkong in a shower of bouquets from the Government, the profession, and the public generally. He obviously stood very high in public estimation there, and I think he will be a real reinforcement to you if any move is made for a Law School at Hongkong.

Professor Robertson, the member of the University staff with whom I discussed the matter, was originally reader in law and politics in the University and has become professor since Hinton left. As I have mentioned, certain legal teaching is done for the purpose of the School of Commerce, and he gives the lectures on elementary jurisprudence and the law of contract. He told me that some Chinese students who had come to Hongkong, more especially from Canton, which supplies a good proportion of the University students, had gone away disappointed because they could not get a degree in law. He also is to supply some notes on the subject, which will either be separate or incorporated with Hornell's.

He

I consulted one other person who did not receive the project with favour. He was frankly afraid of the idea. He raised the objection which I had expected to hear from others, that was, that if Chinese law students were encouraged to come to Hongkong they might stay there and cause political trouble in Hongkong. said that they already had found that Chinese students who came from China to study medicine and engineering were not always willing to go back to their own country in its present disturbed condition, and that if this happened in the care of the law students, they would have "half-baked lawyers" creating political trouble.