AUSTRALIAN TERMITES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 219, 14 August 1940, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN TERMITES.

POTENTIAL DANGER. CONCERN IN DOMINION. Outlining the ravages caused already in New Zealand by termites, or Australian white ants, more particularly in the Auckland district, Mr J. A. Nash told members of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board this week that the Government was very much concerned about the danger. It might be, he said, that there would be a compulsory inspection of all power polos called for, in which case the board might be faced with the expenditure of about £2OOO. Mr Nash asked that the board’s engineer (Mr W. A. Waters) be granted permission to become one of three delegates from the Power Boards’ Association 6n a committee to be set up to consider the matter. Mr Waters had particular qualifications for the position. The request was granted. When bringing the matter before the board, Mr Nash asked members to inspect 'a collection of photographs taken in the Auckland district of damage caused by termites. There, he said, they were playing havoc with power poles, evidently having reached New Zealand in the poles. The case of two State houses was instanced, these having been taken over only as late as last November, but being already ravaged by termites. The Government had asked for a special committee to be set up, and the speaker asked that Mr Waters be allowed to become one of three delegates from the Power Boards’ Association on this committee. Mr Waters had visited Australia and oji his recommendation the board had decided to buy do.sapped poles (being the first in New Zealand to specify this), because the stripping of the sap greatly reduced the possibility of their 'carrying termites. The termites could not be seen from the outside, and it was possible that the Government would order a compulsory inspection of all power poles. This might cost the Manawatu-Oroua Board about £2OOO. The permission requested by Mr Nash was granted and. on Mr P. G. Guy’s motion, the engineer and man-aging-secretary (Mr K. A\'. Eglinton) were asked to bring-down a report on the U9C of concrete poies. Mr Guy urged that these would be particularly suitable in the Feilding area, where the wooden poles were showing the effects of damp ground earlier than they should do.