CO129-596-6 Hong Kong University- Apprenticeship scheme 11-5-1949 - 8-8-1949 — Page 11

53611/12/49.

COLONIAL OFFICE,

Sanctuary Buildings,

Great Smith Street,

S.W.1.

23.June 1949.

Dear Mackay,

Please refer to my letter of the 16th December last about the rate of allowance to be paid to the engineering apprentices from H ng Kong University whose training is at present provided for under Scheme D. 768 (see C.D.V.A.C. No.891).

a

The period of the interim grant under this Schune ends on the 31st July, by which date we had hoped to have sufficient particulars to enable us to make a detailed Scheme.

From a list of ten candidates chosen from a large field by local Selection Committees, the Federation of British Industries picked six names and in July 1947 the Governor was asked to make the final selection of five from these. In November 1947 he reported that two of the six had declined, two were proving difficult to trace, and two were willing to accept apprenticeships. One of these duly arrived but we have lately heard that the

second has now withdrawn his acceptance.

In these circumstances there seems to be no point in delaying any further the final arrangements for this Scheme.

The amount of the interim grant, £1,000, will be sufficient to cover expenditure.in connection with the one student who arrived. We estimate that this expenditure will amount to £700 as follows:

A. MACKAY, ES?.,

/Journey