CO129-527-18 University of Hong Kong- proposal to establish Department 28-5-1930 - 19-9-1930 — Page 32

Lionel Curtis Esq.,

All Souls College,

Cxford,

F

UNIVERSITY OF HONGKONG

28th May, 1930.

3/

England.

My dear Curtis,

Feetham was in Hong Kong about two months ago and he put

to me the question whether this University could not do something

in the way of teaching law to young Chinese. Feetham explained

your feelings in the matter with which I find myself in complete

sympathy. We ought to be doing a great deal more than we are

doing in the direction of training the youth of China to take a

prominent part in the administration of the China of the future.

Of course there is still some prejudice against us. Hong Kong is

a British Colony and the University is a 'British Institution'

(whatever that may mean).

But the Chinese are essentially realists.

They know a

sound thing when they see it, and the students here, do appreciate

their life and work in this University.

If we had a sound law

school here, it would pay to come to it, and I should be very

surprised if an adequate number of students were not forthcoming

for the school. I should not anticipate a rush, but we do not

want a rush. We are getting badly cramped for elbow room in

Hong Kong generally, and even if I had unlimited money to spend

on the expansion and improvement of the University, I should not

aim at having more than five hundred students here. At present we

have about three hundred. I enclose a copy of the Annual Report

for 1929.

I am in fact enthusiastic about your idea of a law

school as part of this University, so enthusiastic that I refuse

to dismiss the idea as a mere fantasy, even though as you will see