CO129-610-2 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 9-1-1948 - 18-1-1949 — Page 151

OUTWARD TELEGRAM

FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

17745

Alt.on 54403/2/48

Code

TO HONG KONG (Sir A.Grantham)

Sent 7th June, 1948.

07.00 hrs.

Aned. (51)

No.639 Confidential.

Hong Kong University.

C.D. 7. assistance.

4;

Possibility of

(44)

Please see my telegram No.638.

Before his return to Hong Kong, Slose left hero some informal suggestions for assistance for the University from C.D.d W. central allocation for highar aducation de has doubtless nóy discussed these suggestions with you.

They were put berore the Executive Committee of Inter-University Council and before Colonial University Grants Advisory Committee for their information, at recent meetinge at which formal. application for assistance to proposed new Malayan University was inter alia considered.

2. Discussion at these meetings made it clear that thore would be great difficulty in obtaining Q.D.& V. ae916tance for Hong Kong Datreesity in present circumetano99. the following considerations being releventa

(a) The 1946 Advisory Committee's recommendation

for a University developed beyond its pre-war scale envisaged that the University should in future attempt to attract students from China and devnte itself generally towards extending the aphere of ite influence outside the Colony of Hong Ko

Any such wholesale pursuit of parposse traunganding Colonial interacts as such would not be a legitimate object

of 0.0.4 7. 80618 tance.

(b) In so far as the pre-war Unirernity did not Aulk goot the requiremuls of tha Colany itself, it could be argued that the grant of £250,000 non given by R.M.G., in addition to the funds made available by

the Hong Kong Government, can be used for

developusat so as to aect these roquirements,

and that any use of yet further funds

(1.8. C.D.& W, money) for development within theee limits would take a great deal of Justification, especially sa

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