CO129-610-1 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 3-1-1947 - 29-12-1947 — Page 131

Advisory Committee:

H. N. BRAILSFORD MARGARET COLE OLIVE R. CRUCHLEY ANDREW DALGLEISH Lord FARINGDON Dr. M. FORTES

C. W. W. GREENIDGE Prof. JULIAN HUXLEY Dr. W. ARTHUR LEWIS Dr. KENNETH LITTLE Dr. AUDREY RICHARDS

Prof. T. S. SIMEY

F. SKINNARD MP

R. W. SORENSEN MP

541411* 1K

FABIAN COLONIAL

D. R. REES-WILLIAMS MP

LEONARD WOOLF

MARGARET WRONG

II DARTMOUTH STREET

LONDON SWI

Monthly Journal: “Empire”

BUREAU

1291 33

R...

12 JUNI

Secretary:

Dr. RITA HINDEN

Assistant Secretary: MARJORIE NICHOLSON

Telephone WHitehall 3077

ABBey 2566

#

Rt. Hon. A. Creech Jones, P.C.,M.P., Secretary of State for the Colonies, Colonial Office,

Downing Street, S.W.1.

Creech

Dear Mr. Coach Jones,

University of Hong Kong

18th

June,

1947.

On November 27th last we addressed to you a letter on

54145/18/ertain onong.

Amongst suggestions which we then took the liberty of putting forward, was the proposal that Hong Kong University should be (3).

3) re-established on a grand scale. In your reply of the 30th 54145/18/4) December last, you mentioned that the case for re-establishing

X

the University on a more extensive scale is very fully recognised; and that the recommendations of a special committee on this point were then being studied in the Colonial and Foreign Office.

We do not know if a decision has yet been taken on the recommendations of this committee, but we would like once again in view of the developing situation in Hong Kong to write to you about the University. It appears to us that this question is becoming particularly urgent because of the political situa- tion in Hong Kong. There hes been no official pronouncement as to the future status of the Colony, and we of course appreciate the reasons which make such a pronouncement wellnigh impossible. But, because of the absence of this pronouncement, the local population and the political refugees have a sense of insecurity, fearing that the Colony may be returned to the present Government of China. It is suggested by well-informed observers, that this uncertainty is largely responsible for the apparent indifference to the suggested reforms in the sphere of local government.

If members of the local community offered co-operation to the British, under the present conditions of Kuomintang terrorism in the Colony, they will be placed on a black list and thereby risk loss of property and imprisonment if the Colony is handed over.

(contd.