CO129-538-1 Hong Kong University 31-12-1931 - 6-8-1932 — Page 166

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7th December, 1931.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees,

For the Administration of the Indemnity Funds remitted by the British Government

NANKING,

CHINA.

Sir,

I have the honour to tender my resignation from the

Board of Trustees for the administration of the Indemnity

Funds remitted by the British Government.

2. Having regard to the responsibilities involved in being Vice Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong I find it is practically impossible for me to be away from the Colony for a fortnight in every month- and this is what attendance at

meetings in Nanking involves.

3. I had hoped that the Board of Trustees would evolve a responsible and adequate executive which would render frequent meetings of all the members of the Board unnecessary.

I see

no prospect of this. Moreover, the functions and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees continue to be vague

and undefined. This factor, combined with the practice of

conducting all the deliberations of the Board of Trustees and Standing Committee in Chinese (a language which I unfortunately

do not understand) while it makes it impossible for me to feel that I am playing an adequate and responsible part as one of the

Trustees appointed to deal with the Indemnity Funds remitted by His Britannic Majesty's Government, makes me more than doubtful whether the frequent journeys involved in my coming

only to attend the monthly meetings of the Board are not a waste of

my time but also of the Board's money.

4. I had hoped to be able to place at the services of

the Board of Trustees such educational experience as I possess.

This is why I agreed to become a member of the Board and, having done so, I immediately cancelled the arrangements which I

had made to go to Britain last summer to attend the Congress of

the