CO129-561-7 Hong Kong University 4-1-1937 - 22-9-1937 — Page 13

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It would be most unwise to formulate any policy

"

"

for the future of Hong Kong University on this report.

It is for the most part merely a summary of conclu-

sions "without any statement of the grounds on which

they are based" (see paragraph 7). Moreover, it is

stated in the same paragraph that an undertaking was

given to all the witnesses that their names would not

be disclosed, that their views would be treated in the

very strictest confidence, and that the system upon

which the Committee based its enquiries would not be

disclosed. This in camers procedure was, in my

opinion, most improper and well calculated to create

the atmosphere of uneasiness and discontent which it

has certainly produced in University circles. It

may be noted here that the Professor in charge of the

Education Department of the University, if his state-

ment is to be believed, was never interviewed by the

Committee, though this Department came in for very

drastic criticism and ruthless curtailment of its

activities is proposed.

2. The report is exactly what was to be expected

from its constitution and terms of reference.

It is

a record of the views of local business men and of

an administrative officer of the Government, who

obviously started from the assumption that expendi-

ture on the University in some way or other must be

curtailed, and that this could best be achieved by

confining expenditure to what they regarded as having

some "practical" value. I find it hard to believe

that any of them has had experience or knowledge of

academic work outside Hong Kong since their student

days. They have, I should think, no conception of