CO129-618-1 Institute of Medical Research- proposed construction 21-4-1947 - 5-12-1947 — Page 7

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5. In case you should desire this to be done you will • I think, wish to have some indication of whether or not the Colonial Medical Research Committee would feel able to recommend that any part of the scheme should be financed out of Central Research Funds. On this point the view which Mahaffy expressed at the meeting I have referred to was that, whilst he could not obviously commit his Committee in advance, he personally felt confident that they would, in view of Hong Kong's particular circumstances and the fact that the Colony suffered enemy occupation, be sympathetically disposed towards a suggestion that Central Research Funds should be used to finance part of the scheme. He pointed out, however, that the Committee are in general reluctant to see the se Central Research Funds being put into bricks and mortar rather than into schemes of research work proper, and that in consequence it would be up to Hong Kong to make out a case strong enough to justify a departure from their normal principles, Such a case might, for example, be based on the value of a new Institute to research work in Hong Kong and South China, on the developments in the use and local preparation of vaccine, and on the fact that tuberculosis is a particularly important problem in Hong Hong.

Yours sincerely,

(N. L. Mayle}