CO129-594-3 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee- minutes of... 18-1-1946 - 9-4-1946 — Page 28

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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 necessary to avoid long term

financial committments 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 substitution of institutions

of lower status 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

least

University would continue at heart 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 be wound up but in his view, and he thought in the

view of the Committee, on a long view the damage to British reputation

would be even greater by the maintenance of an inferior University

on the borders of China where it invited comparison with the fine

Chinese and American institutions on the mainland. Moreover it was

unlikely that even the pre-war income would be maintained in view of

probable the likely diversion of students from Malayas their

15.

ماحسين

bawersity!

Mr. Cox thought it would be lamentable if in face 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.

/Sir