CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 104

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far been achieved.

Any rapid expansion would, I realise,

give rise to far reaching problems of building,

staff and finance, but these issues must in

my view,be faced, and every endeavour made to

rectify as soon as possible, a situation which

I can only regard as unsatisfactory.

5. In the case of the University I

appreciate that the finalising of plans for

rehabilitation has been unavoidably delayed,

pending the visit of the Inter-University

Council delegation next March and any

recommendation it may make on the request for

assistance from the central fund for

education provided under the Colonial

Development and Welfare Act. Until decisions

have been taken on this matter it is, of

course, true that the University Authorities

cannot be certain of what global figure will

be available for the restoration and develop-

ment of the University. But here too I feel

that with more unofficial support and goodwill

a further effort might well be made to secure

a more rapid advance in reconstruction work

than has hitherto been possible.

6.

Turning to the question of Housing, I am

seriously concerned to hear of the slow

progress which is being made towards remedying

the very unsatisfactory conditions, due to

congestion and other causes, under which a

large part of the normal working population

conditous of Hong Kong are compelled to live, which are

now much aggravated by an additional influx

of population due to the disturbed cvil warz