CO129-538-1 Hong Kong University 31-12-1931 - 6-8-1932 — Page 241

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(D) The University of Hong Kong.

It was agreed in the Exchange of Notes of

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September 1930 that the University of Hong Kong should be

granted, out of the accumulated funds standing to the credit

of the Indemnity, the sum of £265,000 "for the education of

Chinese students. We understand (though the fact is not

stated in the official correspondence) that £15,000 of this

sum was actually owed to the University by the Chinese authori- ties for Government scolarships, payments in respect of which

had fallen into arrear. The net amount accruing to the Uni-

versity was therefore a quarter of a million sterling. We also

understand that owing to the disastrous fall in the value of

silver, and the consequent necessity of supplementing the

salaries of the staff, only a small proportion of this money will be available for the ordinary purposes of the University

or for the maintenance and extension of its work. For these

and general reasons we are strongly of opinion that the grant

of £250,000, which is very far from meeting the urgent finan- cial needs of the University, should not be regarded as en- titling the Board of Trustees to leave the University of Hong Kong out of consideration when or if it finds itself in a posi- tion to act upon the promise given by Dr C.T.Wang "to deal with the funds in harmony with the general views set forth" in the Willingdon Report. (Referencesto

(Referencesto andrecommendations regarding the University in that Report will be found on pages 21, 133-4, and in Appendix C (10), pp.178-9.)

Although this is MN a matter which hardly comes within our province, we suggest that if further grants from the indemnity fund are forthcoming, part of the money should be used for the purpose of attracting students from the mainland of China through the medium of scholarships. This would be in complete conformity with what has been described as "the chief aim of the founders of the university to strengthen the

cultural ties with China." This observation occurs in a recent minute (dated August 5th, 1931) written by Mr L. Forster, Pro- fessor of Education in the University, who while advocating a