CO129-593-3 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45 12-1-1946 - 27-10-1946 — Page 176

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Colonial Office,

Downing Street,

S.W.1.

عال

9th July, 1946.

Dear Mr. Sloss,

It

Thank you for letting me see Dr. Gordon King's letter of the 16th June which I return herewith. is certainly most disappointing that nothing appears to have been done towards the repair of the University buildings.

As to the cost of such repairs, the position I think, is this. Claims for damage to buildings and property will be assessed by a Claims Commission to be sent out from this country, and the question of what payment if any, can be made, and the priority of payment will have to be decided by the Hong Kong Government in consultation with His Majesty's Government. The Commission has not yet been appointed and it will clearly be some time before its recomendations are implemented. Any payments will be met from Hong Kong Goverment funds though the method by which the Hong Kong Government will raise the necessary funds has not yet been considered. It is, I think, a reasonable assumption that for the University's claim in respect of war damage and losses, will be mot at least to the extent of the equivalent of the cost of minimum first- aid repairs to the buildings of the University to make them habitable. This being so, it seems to me that we might suggest to the Governor that, if as we have been led to believe there is this urgent demand for the re-opening of the University this Autumn, the Hong Kong Government should consider paying for minimum repairs

/and

D.J. SLOSS, BS C.B.E.