19
next year except perhaps in elementary classes.
There we re
(a), unavoidable delay in making a final selection of
matriculants,
}
(b) delay, though less than had been expected, collecting equipment for laboratories,
in
(c) the unavoidable de lay there would be in getting
first class men to fill vacancies in the staff
although notification of these vacancies in China might reveal good Chinese candidates.
11. Mr. Cox added that until the final form of the University was settled and promises of adequate support by His Majesty's Government had been given it was necessery to avoid long term financial commitments and the Committee were reluctant to recommend re-opening before they knew that the University was to be developed on the scale considered necessary.
12 Dr. Priestley asked Sir Mark Young how he would regard the cessation of the University and the substitutión of institutions of lower st tus if His Majesty's Government were unable to support the larger scheme.
13.
Sir Mark Young emphasised strongly that in his view any diminution of status would be a serious blow to British prestige. He hoped that the subvention from the Imperial Government would be forthcoming but if it were not it would be his hope that the University would continue at least on the limited basis possible on the pre-war income. The closing down of the University would appear as failure to recover from our recent calamity.
14.
Dr. Priestley replied that this was the crux of the matter. He recognised the damage that would be done to British prestige were the University to bɛ wound up, but, in his view, and he thought in the view of the Committee, on a long view the damage t› British reputation would be even greater by the maintenance of en inferior University on the borders of China where it invited comparison with the fine Chinese and American institutions on the mainland. Morcover it was unlikely that even the pre-wor inc.me would be maintained in view of the probable diversion of students from Malaya t their wn University.
.
15.
Mr. Cux thought it would be lamentable if in facs of the expected developments of the Chinese universities the future showed an ineffective and struggling institution in Hong Kong. He pointed out, however, that no assistance could be expected from the resources of the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund since clearly this fund was established for the needs of Colonial peoples and could not be regarded as appropriate for a University designed primarily for the Chinese.
16. Sir George Moss enquired if an appeal might not be made to the Dominions Governments in the event of His Majesty's Government giving an adverse decision.
17. Mr. Cox thought that the Committee, in their report, should mention the point in the alternative recommendatiɔns they would make if the larger scheme failed.
18. Sir Herbert Eason thought that the University of Hong Kong should be revived as a first class institution or not at all.
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