The shortage of houses is this week again forced on
public attention by 'impending decisions on two. points that vitally affect the problem. The first is the forth- coming publication of the Report on the Rent Restrie, tions. Act, which will recommend when and how the present legal. maximum of rent that a landlord: may charge shall be removed. The second: is the. cut in wages and the lengthening of hours that the masters propose, in the building trade. If the legol restriction on rent were removed at. once- it might be hoped that the increased renumeration obtainable by capitalinvested b1.- houses would- at once stimulate-building. If, on the other hand, owing to a failure to. settle the building trade dispute new building became impossibles, the first effect• of a rise in rent would be the forcing down of conditions of life amongst that. long-suffering section of the public; the lower middle classes, since landlordswould be able to raise the rent against, them much more often than against the actual-- " working " class, who in the present state of industry are physically unable- to pay. more.
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