SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST 2340 MARCH, 1944 6-
UNIVERSITY CEREMONY
Degrees Conferred On Medical Graduates In Great Hall Ruins
C-IN-C SPEAKS ON CIVIC SENSE
In the ruined, roofless Great Hall of the Hongkong University, the Degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery was conferred upon 23 candidates by the University of Hongkong Medical Degrees Emergency Committee yesterday.
The Degree was also conferred upon 10 candidates "in
absentia."
The ceremony-the first held for four years-was without the usual pomp and splendour of former years, but was never- theless impressive.
In an address the C-in-C, Hongkong, Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt, said that every effort was being made to open the University for first-year classes in October. He also spoke on the importance of self-discipline which was, he said, the equivalent of civic sense. "For it is only by the gaining of this civic sense that stable self-government can be achieved.. ..Only in this way can genuine self-government be established in Hongkong and the people be prosperous, happy and free," he declared.
The candidates present were: University lacked the machinery Au Wai-man, Au Kit-man, Bun for awarding and conferring de- Pak-sun. Chan Sing-boon,, Chan grees. Obviously something had Wai-kai, Ho Hung-kin, lp Yee, Lam to be done about it.
Tang that there must be a committee to Wong deal with the matter.
Shu-kee, Leung Yau-shun, Li His Majesty the King ia Coun- Hin-lun. Li Fook-kuen, Ling Tak-cil aecided, just as less august hong, Loke Choong-she, Look bodies decide when in diffi.ulties, Mang-wai. Oh Kim-seng, Hon-chiu, Tong Kwok-kee, Mook-foo, Wong Siao-bu, Wu Kay- Accordingly it was ordered that hau. Yap Meow-foo, Yeoh Oon-there should be constituted a Com- khor and Yu Shiu-on. Those mittce, to be known as the Uni- honoured "'In absentia" were:versity of Hongkong Medical De- Cheung King-ho, Fung Kam-tat,grees Emergency Committee. This Hooi Peng-kwan, Hui Kwan-lun, Committee was empowered to exer- Kaan Sze-kin, Lam Yu-shing, Siu cise, in so far as they relate to Ka-hee, Tan Kim-hoang, Tsai medicine and surgery, the powers Kam-fong and Yap Jin-yau.
of the Senate of the University to determine what examinations and courses of study in other universities or places of learning should be deemed equivalent to examinations and courses of study in the University of Hongkong.
Among those present were Sir Shouson Chow, the Right Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall, Mr Leo D'Almada, Sir Robert Kotewall, Lieut-Col Wm Kay, Mr M.K. Lo, Dr and Mrs G.H. Thomas, Mr S.A. Gray (PRO), Col W.T. Ware, Mr The Committee was further em- Mok Kon-sang, Mr George She, powered to propose persons for Major D.F. Davis, Mr Chau Tsun-admission to degrees and to exer- nin, the Rev. Frank Short, Major cise the power of the Chancellor R. Lee, Major H.L. Ozorio, Mr of the University to confer de- and Mrs B.C.K. Hawkins, the Rev Cheung Wing-ngok, and a large number of University under- graduates.
Members of the University of Hongkong Medical Degrees Emer gency Committee were Mr T.M. Hazelrigg (Chairman), Mr G.P. de Martin, Col J.P. Fehily, Col T.R. Rowell, Lieut-Col Gordon King and Mr B.C.K. Hawkins,
The once Great Hall is a skele- ton structure with only the bare walls standing. The window frames, the wooden flooring and every vestige of woodwork have been looted. The roof has been removed and only the iron rafters now hold the walls together. Where flags and pennants hung on doorways, empty gaps now greet the eye.
Chairman's Address
once
grees.
Candidates For Degrees
com-
I wish to make it quite clear that each candidate for a degree must, as heretofore, have pleted a five years' course of study at a University or place of learn- ing, including at least two years at the University of Hongkong. and that no degree can be con- ferred without examination.
The principal function of the Committee has been to ensure that the course of study completed and the examinations passed by the, candidates were equivalent to the comparable courses of study and examinations at the University of Hongkong.
in
In respect of each of the can- didates upon whom degrees will] be conferred to-day the Committee is satisfied that the requirements Shortly before 3 p.m. the Pro- of the Statutes of the University cession, headed by the successful and of the Order of His Majesty candidates, and followed by Sirin Council have been fulfilled. Cecil and members of the Emer- One final point. It is particu- gency Committee, entered the larly declared by the Order Hall. The candidates took seats Council that degrees conferred in on either side of the Hall while accordance with its provisions Sir Cecil and the Emergency shall be deemed to have been con- Committee took their positions at ferred at a Congregation of the the official table which was whole University. unadorned and without a covering. After he had declared the gather- ing open, Mr Hazelrigg said:
We are fortunate in having with us to-day Mr G. P. de Martin, who at one time acted as Registrar of It is possible that there this University and who is, I be- may be present to-day people lieve, the oldest surviving mem- who do not read that thrill- ber of its Court. Mr de Martin ing periodical known as thehas kindly consented to support Hongkong (British Military Ad-the Committee and I now call ministration) Gazette. It there- upon him to address the Meeting. fore seems desirable that there (Applause).
should be some explanation of Mr de Martin said: Before con- the substitution of this afternoon's cluding this part of to-day's pro- simple procedure for the pompceedings it is my privilege to and ceremony usually associated thank our visitors for their pre- with Congregation of the Uni- versity,
sence here. By joining with us; in this necessarily truncated func- tion you bring with you a message of friendship and encouragement.
The events of December 1941 disrupted the lives of the under- graduates and called a halt to the
I take upon myself also, on be- activities of this University half of everybody here to congra- Many of the undergraduates, bow- tulate the new graduates upon ever, escaped into China and pur- receiving the credentials which sued their studies in the Chinese will enable them to assume the du- Universities amid great difficulties of their great profession.
ties. Some of the medical stud- ents, after passing their examin- ations, went on to render valuable services in their profession.
When the dark days ended the
The King's Recognition This consummation of their University career has been made (Continued on Page 8)
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