DAMAGED HOUSES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 94, 21 April 1945, Page 6

DAMAGED HOUSES

FIRM ACTION URGED

TIMBER EATING,PESTS

Over-riding action by the Government to deal with the menace of timber eating pests, such as borers and termites, was strongly advocated to-day by an Auckland authority who had made a close study of the damage done to houses and other buildings in recent years. He declared that control measures should not be left to individuals, many of whom were either ignorant of the danger or indifferent.

"Arrangements should be made for all properties to be examined and reported upon by experts," he said. "If the property owner has not the finance available to meet the cost of treatment, money, should be advanced by a Government lending institution, and loans of this kind should take precedence over first mortgages and be made repayable on a table basis."

Over the past decade there had been a great Increase in the, incidence of the borer and native termite in Auckland city and- suburbs, he stated. The number of borer' free houses had decreased, and the extent of the infestation had spread rapidly in houses which, until a few years ago, were in a reasonably sound condition. A factor contributing to the present disturbing position was the increase in the use of inferior timbers and the reduction in the quantity of heart timber. Also, there was to-day greater reluctance to destroy infested dwellings because the occupants were unable to secure other accommodation. Nowadays, houses even in an advanced state o& decay were patched up to last a little longer. Sales of Infested Houses There was also a disposition among some property, owners, it was stated, to make the most of the present opportunity to dispose of houses by painting and papering them, thus covering up much of the evidence of borer activity. With perhaps new door knobs and a few other fittings, these houses were sold to the unwary. Only when they were examined by experts was their real condition discovered.

In various instances, after sales of properties had been completed, it had been found that the foundations and, perhaps, the floors and walls were riddled with borer. The new owners were saddled not only with the financial burden of eradicating the pests, but also of replacing ruined timbers and re-blocking the buildings. Such work was often expensive, and it was difficult to-day to secure carpenters and materials.

Most of the damage to be found was due to borers and termites, and not to the Australian white ant, said the authority. Since the passing of the Termites Act a vigorous campaign had been waged against the white ant, with much success. Termite inspectors had been engaged by municipalities where the white ant were known to be active, Auckland being one of these areas, and the position had greatly improved. This splendid achievement, in which the State Advances Corporation had made a valuable contribution, indicated what could be done in the public interest if effective steps were taken in time. Government Should Act The native termite and the common borer were slower working than the white ant, but they did equal damage, because they could attack a house anywhere or at many points at the same time, it was learned. They did not work underground like the Australian species. "The spread of the borer has increased so tremendously that unless the Government acts promptly the annual loss of property will go on rising at an ever steepening rate, and the time when the housing shortage is overcome may be indefinitely postponed," the authority declared. "These pests breed prolifically and swarm annually." If people found evidence of borer damage, he suggested, they should consult an architect, an experienced i builder or the State Advances Corporation. .