Old Hong Kong-2 — Page 205

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UNIVERSITY

Something of the life of Sir Hormus jee N. Mody was given in the article yesterday, in the course of which it was mentioned that he had been responsible for the cost of building the University of Hongkong. This in- stitution was opened on March 11, 1912, and celebrated its coming of age last year. The opening ceremony was performed by Sir Frederick Lugard, the Governor, and was an important affair. A bazaar was held at the same time in the University grounds and buildings, and was a great success, attended by thousands of all sections of the community. With that occasion we are not imme die tely concerned: rether would we known of the years leading up to the founding of the University and the efforts of the men whose generosity and faith in the future made the scheme possible. I take the following record from an account in the contenporary press.

In very early days the possibility of Hongkong achieving the importance that would warrant the establishment of a University was foreseen by a far-sighted few. In Sir Matthew Nathan's time the question was revived, and Mr.W.H.Donald, who was then a resident of the Colony and to whom is due the credit of reviving the movement and giving it sufficient vitality to achieve ultimate success, was one of those who visited Sir Matthew to ask him to take the matter up. Sir Matthew declined officially to support the movement, though

he expressed hai personel sympethy. There is reason to doubt whether Hongkong would ever have had its University had it not been fortunate enough to possess so generous and so public-spirited a citizen as the late Sir H.N. Mody, and simultaneously to have as Governor a man so Imperially- minded as Sir Frederick Lugard. There were numerous obstacles, the greatest of course being financial, and the benefits that would accrue from the establishment of à University were not such as would appeal immediately to the residents of an essentia ly commercial centre. Before Mr. Mody, as he was then, medemde the splendid offer that encouraged Sir Frederiek Lugard to throw into the scale the full weight of his superabundant enthusiasm and energy, those who were endeavouring to push the movement received rebuffs, sometimes from quarters wher sympathy might have been expected.

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So numerous were the rebuffs and so lukewarm the support that the movement of 1905 languished, and probably would not have been galvanised again into life for many years had not Sir Frederick been appointed Governor of the Colony. His Excellency a few months after his arrival alluded to the proposed University when presiding at e prize-giving at St. Stephen's College, and expressed the hope that what was then merely the pious aspiration of a few might assume definite shape This seed fell on productive soil. Mr. Mody read His Excellency 's remarks and lost no time in informing Sir. Frederick that he

of

was prepared to erect the necessary buildings at that he

$150,000 and to give $30,000 towards an endowment fund.

This remarkably generous offer was made at a most opportune moment. There was then in existence in the Colony an institut- ion known as the Hongkong College of Medicine, already dealt with in the se columns. It had been founded in 1887 as the

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