Little Relief in Sight Owing to High Cost of Building _In view of the general anticipat tion that the next few months will *e6 a reduction in the number of business houses in Shanghai—a natural result of the trade depression—hopes have been current that relief would thereupon be forthcoming to the remainder of the residents in the direction of an adequate supply of houses and probably a reduction in rents. Inquiry made in_ well-informed quarters does not bear out this view, and even assuming that uses are not altogether so difficult to obtain, it is extremely unlikely that any reduction in rents will occur.
As regards the number of houses available it is pointed out that applications for them are so numerous at the present time, that even if a number of businesses close up and their staffs Jeave the place, the landlord will still have no difficulty in securing tenants, The demand on the part of wealthy Chinese for houses continues, and as showing. the present trend of events it may be pointed out that within the past few days the sale of a high-priced house was effected without the slightest difficulty. A considerable amount of house-building is at present proceeding, but this will not provide any surplus, and consider-"ang prices of building materials, is more than doubtful whether the present rate of building will be thaintained.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.