WHITE ANT PEST

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1940, Page 10

WHITE ANT PEST

Ravages in Auckland NEW HOUSES ATTACKED. Many instances of the ravages and destruction to properties in Auckland and other districts of New Zealanu by the termite (white ant) were revealed in a lecture delivered by Dr. D. Miller, of the Cawthron Institute. Mr S. Alleman presided over a large attendance, including representatives of city and suburban local bodies concerned with building by-laws. By means of . lantern slides, Dr. Miller showed the various types of termites infesting timber buildings, power poles, fences and dead and living frees. He said the greate-'.t havoc was being caused by the Australian termite, which had subteiranean habits. “There is evidence in Auckland that new houses can be reduced to touch-wood by these pests within bve years,” said Dr. Miller. The position was also serious in New Plymouth. It had been found that houses built only 12 months previously had been invested with termites. After illustrating the methods by which the ants attacked houses, the speaker urged that a serious endeavour should be made by all interested to combat the pest. Everyone interested would have to assist, and the

Government had set up a' committee of advisers to conduct research and experiments. To those people who still disbelieved that there was a serious problem to be tackled he would say that the termite was working all over Auckland/* “The destruction by termites will cost a tremendous amount of money if the ravages are not controlled,’ he added. Preventive measures would be found in an alteration .of building technique. Before any structure was erected, the site should be thoroughly cleared of all timber and stumps of trees. When old houses were demolished the timbers should not be used again, not even for firewood. Termites were known to operate over a radius of one and a-haif acres from the site of their colony.