CO129-576-5 Hong Kong University 13-6-1939 - 23-11-1939 — Page 124

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3.

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suggestions to his attention. Other copies are being

sent to the Sino-British Cultural Relations Association

of which Mr. Han Lih-wu is chairman. At the present time

the Ministry and, indeed, General Chiang Kai-shek, are

very well disposed towards co-operation with the University

Not only were the very valuable services of Mr. Han Lih-wu

willingly lent by the Minister I have also received two

Enclosure No. personal letters from the Generalissimo copies of which

I annex for your information.

6.

Chapter V speaks for itself and as I have stated

the next five are under reference to the Senate and/or

the Finance Committee.

7.

I decided to institute immediate investigation

into the subject of Chapter XI, viz. whether the University

could, and if so should, be shifted to another site. This

doubt clouds almost every discussion of the University's

future and I hope that it will be resolved by the Committee

which I have appointed to consider it.

It was in this connection that the Council

found itself divided in opinion, as three members out of

the fifteen present considered the advice in paragraph 66 to be economically unsound, at any rate so far as the new science laboratories were concerned, for the flats would

have a commercial value. In their view it was wiser to

wait for the report of the Site Committee before entering upon the expenditure of $300,000, which is the estimated

cost of the new laboratories. The majority, which included the University's present Treasurer, Mr. Edmonston, the manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, opposed deferring action on grounds which may be summarized as follows: I fully concur with their views.

(1) The laboratories are an instant need: the present

ones cannot hold the number of science students

now at the University:

also the equipment is