CO129-610-2 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 9-1-1948 - 18-1-1949 — Page 62

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HONG KONG UNIVERSITY

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In April this year it was announced that the University was to be tored to its 1940 scope and status, and it was explained that, in view of His Majesty's Government's financial position, further consideration of the 1946 University Advisory Committee's recommendation for an extended University involving capital expenditure from Imperial funds of about £1,000,000 would have to be deferred.

2. The Hong Kong Government approved a grant of £250,000 to the University for rehabilitation purposes and, later in April, His Majesty's Government agreed to make a grant of a further £250,000 as part of His Majesty's Government's general financial settlement with the Hong Kong Government.

3. In May suggestions for C.D. and . assistance totalling £255,000 were put forward informally by Mr. Sloss (the Vice-Chancellor of Hong Kong University) and were given preliminary consideration by the Inter-University Council Executive Committee and the Colonial University Grants Advisory Committee. It became clear that C.D. and W. assistance would be difficult to secure since the provision of facilities for students from China was not a legitimate object for such assistance, and it was arguable that His Majesty's Government's grant of £250,000 plus Hong Kong's own £250,000 would be adequate for the Colony's own needs, particularly since, with the establishment of the Malayan University, Malayan students would probably no longer go to Hong Kong.

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4. Hong Kong was therefore warned in the telegram at (45) of the difficulties to be faced in making out a case for C.D. and . assistance. Governor in his reply at (51) urged that His Majesty's Government's grant should not be used as a pretext for refusing C.D. and . assistance. reply to this at (75) we rejected the suggestion that His Majesty's Government's grant was being used as a pretext for refusing C.D. and . assistance, and made it clear thatit is now for Hong Kong to put forward a formal application for such assistance, which can be substantiated on the basis of the Colony's own needs. We added that this application would be i partially and carefully considered, but that the Governor should be aware that the C.D. and W. allocation for higher education is already very fully committed on projects of accepted necessity in the interests of the Colonial populations concerned.

My King Daph

20.11.1948.

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