CO129-618-3 University of Hong Kong- grants and financial assistance 6-5-1948 - 10-6-1948 — Page 18

OUTWARD TELEGRAM

FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

54403/2/48

Code

TO HONG KONg (Sir A.Granthan)

Sent 7th June, 1948.

07.00 hrs.

18

//

No.639 Confidential.

Hong Kong University » Possibility of

C.D.& . assistance,

Please see my telegram No.638.

1. Before his return to Hong Kong, Slose lott here some informal suggestions for assistance for the University From C.D.& W. central allocation for higher education. flo has doubtless now áiscussed these suggestions with you. They were put before the Executive Committee of Inter-University Council and before Colonial University Grents Advisory Committee for their information, aš recent meetings at which formal application for assistance to proposed new Malayan University was inter alia considered.

** Discussion at those meetings made it cleer that there would be great difficulty in obtaining C.D. & W. assistance for Hong Kong University in present circumstances, the following considerations being relevantz

(a) The 1946 Advisory Committee's recommendation

for a University developed beyond ite pre-war scale envisaged that the University should in fatura attempt to attract students from China and demote itsel generely towards extending the sphero of ita incluence outside the Colony of Hong Kong. Any such wholesale pursuit

of purposes transcending Colonial intereste as such would not be a legitimate object of C.D.& 7. aseie tanos,

(b)

In eo far se the pro-var Ubizoreity did not Zally most the requirements of the Colony 1160lf, it could be argued that the grant of £250,000 now given by H.M.G., in addition to the funds made available by the Hong Kong Boverbasnt, can be used for developmant so as to meet these requirewonta,

and that any use of yet further funds

(1.0. C.D.& W, money) for development within these limits would take a great deal of Justification, especially se

(c)