CO129-593-3 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45 12-1-1946 - 27-10-1946 — Page 147

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population of well over a million there is, in fact, Justification for a University or some other institution for the purpose of providing for higher education, and I believe that you yourself were not inclined to accept the Committee's opinion on this point. We shall no doubt be consulting you officially about it later on, if the Committee's main recommenda- tion should be rejected.

5. In the light of the foregoing, gloss has discussed with us your telegram to him, No.618 of the 18th of July, about the provisional date for re-opening the University. As indicated in the telegram which he has sent you in reply, he is not in favour of re- opening in October. He considers that not only will the necessary equipment not now be available by that date, but that, if the University were formally reconstituted then, it would be prejudicial to consideration of the Committee's recommendation that, unless the University can be reconstituted an the wider basis, it would be better that it should not be re-established at alle de A

6. Sloss argues that once the University is re-opened it would in fact be impracticable to ɑlose it again; that the admission of students to long courses would create locally expectation of continuance; and that, therefore, in order to avoid the risk of a possible breach of public faith, it would be necessary to indicate that not only the future of the University but even its continuance is under consideration..

7. A further point on which he feels strongly is that, were the University reconstituted in October, the University staff would have very inadequate representation on the Council and on the other University bodies. At the same time both he and the

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