CO129-610-1 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 3-1-1947 - 29-12-1947 — Page 69

Tel. No. Whitehall 1234

IONAL

SCHEM

DISABLED

Your Reference

54147/47

Treasury Reference IF.16/189/02

2

Dew Mayle,

Dense

TREASURY CHAMBERS,

50.

68

GREAT GEORGE STREET,

LONDON, S.W.1

11th November, 1947

Copies sent to Accts. & D.22

1. I am sorry we have not sent you an earlier reply

(49) to your letter of the 17th October about Hong Kong

University, but as we promised at our discussion with you the previous day, we have been going into the question very carefully to see whether we could help.

2. I think it is best first to examine the question from the Hong Kong point of view and subsequently to consider the case for special aid from the U.K.

3. We are prepared to see the University of Hong Kong restored more or less to its 1941 basis if this is considered desirable in the interests of Hong Kong. It is, of course, arguable from the report of the Advisory Committee, that such a restoration, without any certainty of further expansion later, is not the most desirable course.

4.I would refer in particular to pars.13 and 14 of the Report and to Main Recommendation (2). I take it that the Governor and the Colonial Office are now satisfied that notwithstanding these recommendations, it is desirable to restore the University to the 1941 scale. No doubt the Advisory Committee were looking to what was ideally desirable, and in the event, you would not wish to justify the proverb "le mieux est l'ennemi du bien".

S. Frovided, as I say, that you are now satisfied that this limited restoration is justifiable, we come to the

N.L. Mayle, Esq.,

Colonial Office.

/question