TNAG-0534-FCO40-629-UK-aid-to-Hong-Kong-Polytechnic-and-technical-institutions-1975 — Page 71

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relationship and a rapport with TETOC which is one

of the essential desiderata of recruitment in Britain

of

for overseas posts.

On completion of my round of visits, I had been

built up as a recruiter in whom a good deal of time and

money had been invested with a view to acquiring a

first hand knowledge of technical education in Hong Kong.

It would not make sense in Mr. Kingwell's view to

put in hand a drastic change as a result of which

this knowledge would be wasted.

19. Mr. Kingwell made these points whenever the subject was

discussed and when I met the Assistant Directors of Education on

15th November they said they were satisfied that technical education

recruitment should not be taken away from TETOC. Indeed there is

no doubt that the timing of my visit was extremely fortunate in

that it took place at a critical period when tentative arrangements

for the transfer could still be reversed.

20. The Education Department did not however have the final say

as all decisions have to be approved by the Colonial Secretariat.

The last appointment in my visit on 16th November was accordingly

with Mr. R.G. Bridge of the Civil Service Department of the

Colonial Secretariat with whom I had to make TETOC's case.

Fortunately, Mr. Topley had so arranged things that Mr. Kingwell

and I had been able to put the points to him informally at a dinner

party two days previously. When I met Mr. Bridge officially he

said he was already convinced and there was no need for further

discussion.

The rest of my meeting with Mr. Bridge was spent