If, after due consideration, the Council find it impossible effectually to cope with this matter, perhaps they would consider a scheme which has often been roughly outlined between bachelors in Shanghai, and that is to procure a few mow of land. say on the Rubicon Road, and build thereon a Nissen Hut Colony, in which quite a number of us would be delighted to live. This scheme, if carried out, would cause a slump in the demand for rooms in the town with the consequent result that prices would have to decrease.
It might be possible to build a light railway to connect the proposed colony with the Bund.
To live in a Nissen hut once again would be a pleasure. Especially after the impositions one has to put up with in the majority of lodgings in the town, and the very sight of a light railway would make things seem quite homely.
It now remains for the Council to take definite steps to remedy the present unfortunate state of affairs and thus bring a certain measure of comfort to a large section of the community.
I am, ete., Auso Harp Birt. Shanghai, July 12.
To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Datty News."
Str,—I consider the public deeply indebted to "Hard Hit" for having shown up these wily property owners, also for his admirable suggestions which the Counci] should put into force immediately to end rent profiteering.
Unfortunately, neither the public nor the Council knows how far this evil has gone in shop rents, One instance will suffice. In Nan-King Road a small shop and two small rooms above it were offered to me three years ago for TIs, 140 per month. To-day the struggling occupier of these premises is paying Tls. 400 with the cheerful prospect before him of having to pay Tls. 600 shortly if he wishes to retain them. He will be obliged to pay this large sum because it has cost him a lot of time, money and energy to establish himself there, and it would be hardly poss. ible for him ww unueeyo tue same cost to establish himself in anothay place. It is a case of Hobson's Choice. His business is only giving him a bare Jiving, and is it just that the landlord should step 'n and skin him to the last cent? appears -that shopkeepers must work to put their hard earned profits into their Jandlords' pockets.
I am, ete., Harp Done. Shanghai, July 12.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.