PART II.
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IT NUT DO UNIVAALITY
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1. The University of Hong Kong was created in 2. inco.porate the existing College of Medicine, which had been Tounded in 1886 by Sir Patrick Hunson and Sir James Contlic. The purous of the University were delined in the oruinence of juth Horch, lyll, as "the promotion of arto, Science on. Learning, the provision of higher education, the conrerri of degrees, the development und formation of the character of students of all reces, nationalities and creeds, and the maintenance of good understanding ith the nei, hbouring country of Chin.." In September 1941, the University included reculties of Arts, scie..ce, Loüicine enu dinținecring, and hau e student enrolment or approximately 600, of whom about 120 were wollen.
2. At the outbreak of the Pacific wới, o sull number of the studente were granted wor-time degrees, shu the others mure given certification of their completed studies. Hely two-thire of thom succeeded eventually in resching ree Chẳng, end of these most „ere enabled to continue in Chinese universities end colleges, sluddies purtly oo a result of Barangements made by a member of the University
staff who escaped Exoz internment to organize the work. The buildings were severely but not irreparably damaged. Almost all
juipment and fittings were destroyed or looted, but the contents of the libraries have survived nearly intact. Through deatha, retiremey or other causes, only out of the pre-war total of thirty two senior posts on the staff are occupied: ond of 21 posts previously held by Suropeans only 6 now ure occupied.
JEOLA BASIC DECISION
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3. By its terma oi reference the Committee was invited "to make a recommendation as to whether or not the University us such should continue to cxist." The Committee had before it urgent requests for the early re-opening of the University from the Commander-in-Chief, Hong Kong, from the Chief Oflicer of the Civil Artairs Administration, from 3ir Merk Young shortly before his departure from the United Kingdom to take up his duties us Governor, from louding Chinese residents in the Colony, and from associL- tions of olu studenta. It was evident that a decision to close the, University would cause bitter disappointment, and the Committee itself was nɛturally reluctant to contemplate such a urustic course. lievertheless the committee realized that an occasion like the present Woo not likely to recur, at which a fundamental decision could be tu.en determining the nature and existence of the University. The Committee further realized that it could recommend continu...tion only in the University could serve purposes that were fully suflicient to justify the expense and great effort involved. Committee also deci. Shot a recommendation to reopen the University would mean it. percent, or at least indefinite continuɛtion, since a temporary extension of its existence for a limited period wou not a pructical possibility.
COLONY'S AQUIRANTS INSUFFICIANT 20 JUSTI Y A UNIVERSITY
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4. The Committ...o domuivered whether the higher education needs of Hong kong itucii justify the reopening of the University. On the criterion of the approprite area to be served by a university, suggested by the Asquith Commission (Cmd. 6647, puge 13), namely cpacity to supply on adequate flow of studentà able to profit
you higher education, the copmittee judged that, at prescit, ad in predictable future Hong Kong bondition) by themselves aiz not justify university. On the boole
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