CO129-594-1 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee report 29-3-1946 - 3-7-1946 — Page 13

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may be given to the possibility of e.listing financial help from the ominions as well as from Great Britain.

LUCIANON. (4.5 caps

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11. The universiɛy suffered from isolation in various

Winese nationalist feelan reached full tide at

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Time of the econd Rev Lusion", 1.e. the collapse o 20 reactionary "war-lords" and the establishment of the now central regime in Banking under the auspices of the Kuomintang. It was, in essence, an inevitabl⠀ movement of insurgence against the accumulated homiliations and restrictions which had m rked China's international relations in the proceding era. he establishment of the Tanking zegime was in itself the first step towards more normal conditions, and the process received an immediate and momentous encouragement in His Majesty's Coverament's declaration, in Decembor, 1926, of confidence in and sympathy with the new regime and the national aspirations 1t expressed. Since then the shackles and anomalies associated with the epoch of the "unequal treaties"

ve been gradually cleared away. The 'ommittee would ot vonture to prophesy how Chinese feeling towards us a:d other countries may develop during the remainier of this Tateful century, but at least it can be said that the stage is set fair for collaboration on terms of equality and reciprocity, and it follows that an opportunity now exists which never existed in any thing like tho samo measure in the past, of which it behoves the Chinese and ourselves to take full advantage, as squal and essentially like-minded members of the family of nations.

Gio ono could guarantee that the Chinese sentiment towards a revived University in Hong Kong would remain uniformly friendly and cooperative and undisturbed by any fitful feeling of jealousy or the influence of extraneous events. But there is, so far as we can discern, no special reason for possimism on this score. It would, naturally, depend largely on the broad conception of the project, the manner in which it was launched, and the way in which it fitted into the general pattern of our relation with China.

(6) Ditunted in a Cantoneso speaking area, it was at a disadvantage in attracting Mandarin speakin students from other parte ou China and its graduates vore at a disaîvantage on language grounds in seeking employment in China. This disability will be greatly reduced by the recent decision of the long Kon. Covernment to encourage in its schools the study of the national nu ge tini the Covernment of China ia ́successfully dismalnating.

Moreover, like other institutions of hi her èqucation in s Colonies, the University suffered from intellectual isolation. Its poverty prevented it from adopting an adequate sy, tem or home leave or sabbatical leave for its staff; it could not afford, financially or in terms of staff, to facilitate frequent study leave in china, visitin· isetureships, summer schools, and those other fors of invellectual intercourse which would have kept it continuously rofreshed by vigorous contact with both british on himse academic levelopments. The proper financing on the waiversity would remove many of thebo difTke 1 tics. ther developments also will con- tribute to shoi: moval, such as the recommendations of

Abquả til nowy do niema for staff coeendment, annual visits, improved conditions of service for staff, etc. which the

inter-University