B—l3

Termites Act, 1940.—Under the Termites Act, 1940, the Corporation has certain administrative and technical responsibilities for the detection and control of nonindigenous termites, several species of which have become established to some extent in various parts of New Zealand. One means of the introduction of termites into this country is in the hardwoods which are regularly arriving from overseas, and, by arrangement, the State Forest Service has assumed the responsibility for the inspection of all hardwoods imported, together with the isolation and treatment of any infested timbers found. Up till 1947 eight local authorities had been declared local authorities to which the Act applied. In one of these, the Waikohu County, the known active colonies have been destroyed and the order declaring that it should be a local authority to which the Act applied was revoked in 1946. During the past year one additional local body, the Waipa County, has also been brought under the provisions of the Act, mainly as a result of active infestations being found near Cambridge. These local bodies are responsible for the inspection within their boundaries of buildings, poles, stumps, and other timber likely to be attacked. The number of properties inspected and the number of infestations recorded up to 31st March, 1948, is as follows :

Staffing difficulties have prevented this inspection work proceeding as expeditiously as is desirable and, except for the Auckland City Council, which has displayed commendable energy, and possibly the New Plymouth Borough, in which the infestations may now have been destroyed, there is a good deal of leeway to be made up. With the possibility of more Inspectors being secured in the near future it is hoped to secure some improvement in the coming year. The proportion of inspected properties infested is not high, as will be gathered from the following table indicating the incidence reported as a result of the inspections carried out by the Auckland City Council up to 31st March, 1947 :

10

Local Bodies. Properties inspected, including Re-inspections: Total as at 31st March, 1948. Properties in which Infestations found: Total as at 31st March, 1948. Auckland City Council New Plymouth Borough Council Onehunga Borough Council Mount Albert Borough Council One Tree Hill Borough Council Mount Eden Borough Council .. Mount Roskill Road Board 16,276 1,304 1,231 569 1,040 337 699 323 23 111 4 2 2 23 21,456 488

Location of Activity. Active. Inactive. Total. Utility poles, &c. 15 90 105 Building properties, &c. .. 40 121 161 Total v. 55 211 266