CO129-535-1 University of Hong Kong- vacancy for Reader in History 12-5-1931 - 22-3-1932 — Page 31

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empowered to appoint professors, lecturers and other aca-

It is clear from the ac-

demic officers of the University,

tion which the Council did take in the matter that that body

could not possibly have authorized any such reply as that

which according to Dr. Wang Chung-hui was sent to Edinburgh Paragraph 4 of statute 8 of the University Ordinance which places the right of appointment in the hands of the Council,

contains a proviso to the affect that no appointment shall

be made by the Council without due consideration of the

claims of any candidate who may be recommended by the

Genate. There is evidence that the senate was at the

time a little inclined to go beyond its statutory powers

in the matter of appointments, but there is nothing in the

file to suggest that the Senate ever communicated to

Edinburgh such a reply as is now assigned to the University

by Dr. Wang Chung-hui. If such a reply was ever commuuni-

cated to dinburgh it looks as if this must have been done

by the London Committee. All I can say as regards that

is that I have before me the statement of the qualifications

etc., required in the new professor and the letter from the

Pro-Vice Chancellor to Sir Charles Addis the Chairman of

the London Committee. Not a word is said in either of

these documents about the axclusion of Chinese.

I must,

however, confess that the story of the incident, so far

as it can be told from the resolutions passed in the Senate

and in the Council, does Biggest that the London Commit toe

was under the impression that a Chinese professor would not be acceptable and that the London Committee who advertised

How the post, was approached on D. C.Y. Wang's behalf.

the Jamittee got that impression, if it did get it, I can

not say.

But the whole incident was most regrettable.

Dr. C.X.#ang had excellent specialist qualifications;

Parker had none

Moreover Section 18 of the University ür

dinance maots that 1-

"No distinction of ruce or nationality shall be