CO129-593-2 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45. Includes 32 photographs depicting-... 10-1-1945 - 20-1-1946 — Page 60

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Memorandum on keconstitution of the

University of Hong Kong.

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At first sight the amount of damage and wanton destruction done to the University would seem to be so great as to suggest the impossi- bility of restoring the Institution to its former condition. The question inevitably arises as to whether the present time would not be the best one for carrying into effect the long cherished plan of trans- ferring the University to another site. In the Report of a Committee on the Development of the University, published in March 1939, it was re- commended that the question of transfer to a larger site outside the town should be immediately taken into consideration, but that new build- ings projected or proposed in the Report should not be deferred until the transfer was made. Since the publication of the Report, one fine new building, the Northcote Scinece Block, was in fact completed, and had only been in use for a few months at the outbreak of the war.

Further reflection a nd more detailed examination of the University buildings lead to three very definite conclusions, (a) that the time required for the selection of a new site, preparation and approval of plans, and construction of new buildings would be very considerable (say three to five years), (b) that the cost of such a project would be very great, and might not even be approved after the preparation of plans and estimates, and (c) that the amount of damage done to the University is not nearly so great as appeared at first sight, and that the rehabilitation of the various buildings could be carried out rela- tively quickly and at a cost infinitely less than would be required for complete rebuilding.

In order to obtain an unbiassed opinion on the matter I requested Lt. Col. Amps (C.A., Works Branch), the architect of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Building, to make an informal survey of the University property. He very kindly devoted a whale morning to this purpose and wrote a short report on his views. This report is appended (see Appendix I), but the conclusions reached were briefly: that none of the buildings had been appreciably damaged by bombing or gun fire: that structurally the majority of the buildings are in very good conditions: that destruction consists mainly in looting of wooden doors, windows, floor boards and joinery work, as well as lead piping, copper brass electrical and sanitory fittings: that the structures which remain represent assets of very considerable value to the University and that given the necessary teak wood for repair work and the requisite sanitary and electrical fittings, there should be little difficulty in restarting the University by September 1946.

In order to illustrate some of these points and to give a more concrete idea of the actual condition of some of the buildings a series of photographs of the University was prepared. These appear as another appendix (see Appendix II). The general views (Nos. 1-3) give some impression of the value of the University site and the extent of the grounds. The damage to the Great Hall (Nos. 4-7) at first appears severe, but repair would be a relatively easy and rapid matter. The state of the Arts Lecture Room (No. 8) shows a typical condition to be found in most of the lecture rooms: but new flooring, window frames, decora- tion and the restoration of electrical fittings would renderthe room fit for use. The Northcote Science Block (Nos. 11-14) is the newest of the University Buildings. It is a depressing sight to see it stripped

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