TNAG-0306-FCO40-342-Equipment-for-technical-institutes-in-Hong-Kong-provision-of-1971 — Page 78

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

HONG KONG

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL RECEIVED IN

Ong. Alkaist

co. Kur

KM Weford

(50)

مسرات

Mr Logan (o.r.)) 45.

AG

in Gain of eve

REGISTRY No.51

п

Kimbe

8th March 1971

다.

Dear

Lestin-

"HKK9/2

Would you refer to the correspondence

regarding the grant for equipment for technical

institutes resting with your telegram No. 183 of the 3rd March. In looking a gift horse in the mouth, especially one of this magnitude, one is appearing to be responding ungraciously; but the fact is that, grateful as I am for the gesture, and fully as I appreciate the difficulties which must have been encountered in making it possible, it is nevertheless something of an embarrassment to me in the form in which it has been made.

It is a pity that there was as you know no prior consultation on this idea. Perhaps it was not possible in this case for some reason, but lack of it is always likely to lead to misunderstandings. In this case the offer of assistance in fact anticipates local policy decisions on technical education. While it is true that the Industrial Training Advisory Committee rather casually recommended four technical institutes over and above Morrison Hill (I believe that they are now talking in terms of six) and although it is true that in principle we have already agreed to one more technical institute, the whole programme, even if it is accepted, will take many years to carry through, and will have to be geared to technical secondary education, to the facilities offered by the Universities,

Sir Leslie Monson, KCMG, CB

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL

3Pn.