CO129-610-2 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 9-1-1948 - 18-1-1949 — Page 39

and

Mr. Sidebotham

Mr. Bourdillon is also away until

Monday the 26th July.

My understanding of the situation is that the Inter-University Council the Colonial University Grants Advisory Committee have certainly not finally ruled out the possibility of assistance towards Hong Kong University. On the other hand I think para. 2 of (45) on this file sets out their attitude fairly i.e. they feel that assistance to projects needed for Hong Kong alone which were real expansion and not merely rehabilitation would require a good deal of justification.

(51) on this file makes it clear that the main needs are local and are development as opposed to rehabilitation. On the other hand of the items listed in para. 2 provision for the training of teachers hardly I think comes within the scope of higher education, contributions from the allocation to teaching hospitals have hitherto been on the basis of about 12% of the total cost so that it is unlikely that all of the expenditure could be met from the C.D. & W. Vote. I assume that the money is required merely for the extension of existing facilities since the cost of a teaching hospital alone would amount to much more than £250,000 if experience in the West Indies and Uganda is applicable to Hong Kong conditions.

Like Mr. Cox I understand that the C.U.G.A.C. kase allocated virtually the whole of their existing resources with the exception of some £1 million set aside for general purposes such as expatriation allowances. I am not sure however to what extent the allocations made are heard/fbest or whether it would be possible to reduce some of them at a later stage and so make money available for Hong Kong or other places. I think that a case for an addition to the higher education allocation from the reserve under the C.D. & W. Act would have to be very powerful in view of the increase from £41⁄2 to £6 million which has already been made.

4.MHawin.

22nd July, 1948.

Mr. Christopher Cox

As regards "X" of your minute of the 19th July, I see that our telegram to Hong Kong telling them about the difficulties of getting C.D. and W. assistance at No. 45 on this file was dated the 7th June, whereas the last telegram from the Governor about the publication of the Report was dated the 18th June. I cannot, therefore, think that this was sent without their being aware of the position as set

/forth