CO129-610-2 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 9-1-1948 - 18-1-1949 — Page 82

74

82

(a)

£37,500

(b)

($600,000), and

£62,500 ($1 million).

The architect who made these guesses does not offer them as estimates: estimates have been asked for. I shall tell you what they amount to as soon as I get them.

Another project that imposes itself is the provision of a hostel for women. The small hostels before the war maintained by missionary bodies no longer exist. We already have 140 women students, many from distant homes and in two years when all the years of the University are constituted we shall have 250. This was a project for which we proposed to ask help of the Colonial Universities Grant Committee but, very largely by your help, our problem is solved by a private benefaction of a million dollars. I mention this merely to indicate that as in the past the University has made efforts to solve its own problems and makes its appeal to the Colonial Welfare and Development Fund on the perhaps old-fashioned convention that self-help establishes some sort of case for outside help.

The intention of this long note is to ask if it would be possible, before all the funds are allocated other- where, to inform the Colonial Office that the University, when it knows what its resources may be and how they may beused, proposes to put forward, at least, the projects that I have mentioned.

Yours sincerely,

(SGD.) D. J. SLOSS

Vice-Chancellor.