CO129-593-6 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee papers 1-1-1939 - 31-12-1946 — Page 38

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This revener want vereficat

FAILURE IN WIDER AIMS.

The slow progress of the University, except

in a measure, in Medicine, was disappointing

to its founders and disheartening to its staff. It did moet

the demands, slight as they were from official sources, of the

Colony, and facilities were made available for higher education

of Chinese from Malaya, the Dutch East Indies and of Overseas

Chinese generally. But in only a trifling degree did the

Iniversity succeed in becoming what Lord Lugard had noce, C.

centre for a University education of British inspiration for

students from China. Co-operation with Chinese Universities

was not achieved until it was almost imposed by the Sino-Papan

'Incident', The causes of failure defined by the 1945

Advisory Committee on Hong Kong University etc (H.K. V.A.C.

Paper. 2.) are accepted by this Committee. They wore

haven't papers (a) the growth of national sentiment and political self-

consciousness in China since the Revolution (b) the difference

of spoken language (c) the high cost of maintaining students

af at Hong Kong University, compared with the costs Universities

in China.

The early nationalistic antagonism against Great Britian had to

a great measure died dom before the Sino-Jap "Incident" occurred.

The language reform movement in Ching had achieved measurable

success in its aim of establishing a common spoken language.

The ORIGINS OF THIS COMMITTEE.

The disparity of conts remained. But to

theso causes of failure should be addod

the financial weakness of the University.

INADEQUATE MEANS.

Behind the story of rather uncertain advance

there is the almost unbroken undertone of

poverty. The University was started with hopelessly inadequate

finances;

Government help, except in the provision of a site,

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