CO129-583-18 Hong Kong University- British Council and Rhodes Scholarships 1-1-1940 - 31-12-1941 — Page 70

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other Chinese leaders, every promise of practical

support and cooperation in such an effort at this

time, but the question of obtaining a substantial

grant from His Majesty's Government for the purpose

of enabling the University to fulfil its intended

role in the Far East was under active consideration

immediately before the outbreak of war.

But events have naturally dictated the

inability of the Exchequer to accede to any appli-

cation for the grant of the necessary financial

assistance at this juncture, and it is clear that

the Colonial Government can do no more, for its own

subsidy to the University is on a heavy scale and has

been increasing and must be further increased even

for the purpose of maintaining the University's

existing functions, which fall far short of the real

purpose of serving Anglo-Chinese cultural interests.

And even if the Colonial Government's revenues had been

on a scale sufficient for the purpose, this would not

have served the purpose which is so important from the

point of view both of the Chinese leaders and also of

the richer Chinese in the Colony whose philanthropy we

should rely upon to swell the funds. That purpose

requires that the United Kingdom itself should be

associated with the policy of promoting the aim of

Hong Kong University as an Anglo-Chinese cultural

institution of the first importance.

It seems clear, therefore, that we must be

reconciled to making no progress for the present with

the actual development of the University. But there

is one possibility concerning which I should be most

grateful

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