CO129-588-9 Hong Kong University- relief work 11-8-1942 - 19-11-1943 — Page 21

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disbursements from them for University purposes

in consultation with us. He has shown signs recently of wishing to be relieved of this responsibility and the formation of a special body would serve to this end. (4) Such a body would also be useful for considering the reconstruction also in connection with the University. We are for instance waiting despatches from Chungking which will try to strike a balance between demands on the University funds for the relief of students at present and potential demands for rebuilding after the reoccupation of " Hong Kong.

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We have put proposals to the G.M.C. saying that if it will meet their needs we would consider passing an Order in Council providing for the constitution of a Committe which would grant Hong Kong degrees but that no degree in medicine or surgery would be conferred on any person who had not spent at least two years at Hong Kong University prior to the Japanese occupation. We propose that other students should be in due course admitted to the final, exam of the Hong Kong University without further study.

Wish 7mm

25.5.43.

I agree generally with Mr. Monson's state- ment of the pros and cons of this proposal, mut It seems to me that the most important consideration against it is the possibility that if the G.M.C. now recognises Hong Kong Degress which will be based on courses of study at, and examinations taken at, Chinese Universities, they may at sometime in the future be faced by a demand for/reciprocal arrangement with China for the mutual recognition of British and Chinese medical qualifications. Having once recognised these Chinese courses of study as adequate for the purposes of recognition (even though admittedly as an

a refusal ad hoc war time measure), it might be embarrassing for

the G.M.C. to have to refuse to enter into a reciprocal arrangement after the war In the discussion with Professor Channon, however,

however, we came to the conclusion

that