XN000022-1972-06-30 — Page 22

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Friday, June 30, 1972

"As a hardened Civil Servant I have a weakness for making lists.

One of my lists is of things in Hong Kong which are not only fairly good,

but which are absolutely good and can stand up to comparisons with anywhere

in the world. High on this list is the construction and the concept of

this Chinese University of Hong Kong. A magnificent idea, a magnificent

site, and splendidly executed under Dr. Li's leadership,

"What purpose do we want it to serve.

"For my part I want it to serve two causes: that of Learning and

that of Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong desperately needs learned people of all ages. We

have already plenty of enthusiasm, plenty of enterprise, plenty of hard

work, commercial instinct, even compassion. But to turn Hong Kong into

the place we want it to be, and to obtain the resources to do this, we need

the help, at all levels of people with the skills and knowledge and

comprehension that can only be acquired from a basis of learning: the

sort of learning that can be acquired here.

"And what a lot there is for such people to do in Hong Kong and

how short we are of them, whether in industry, the professions, business,

the places of teaching or Government.

"But learning must also be an end in itself. I reject the sausage

machine concept of a University whose only object is to turn out types in

short supply. Learning and knowledge for its own sake is what gives a

university inspiration,authority and repute and gives it the ability to

command the respect of those who learn in it.

/"And if