In July 1922 B. Halliday, of Bilambil P & C Association, requested that the old school building be moved to the new site for use as a weather shed. He added that ‘The old building has been an eyesore and a mark for tramps long enough, and in these respects it is likely to become worse as soon as the new building is occupied’.6 In June 1926 J. Bourke of Bilambil wrote to the Department offering £5 for it and noting that, ‘The school is fast falling into decay & disrepair principally owing to the ravages of white ants. The walls are giving way & I fear that if a severe storm comes the school will be blown down & kill many of my cattle that make it a shelter at night’.6

The Department then decided that the badly white-ant-eaten building should be sold by tender and J. Bourke tendered £6 for it and F. Gillieatt, also of Bilambil tendered £10.6.0. The local branch of The Primary Producers Union strongly protested against this sale and the Department allowed this group to move the building to the new school site provided there was no cost to the Department.6

WHITE ANTS

Horace Garratt reported in 1929 that for the second time he had found white ants in the residence, he suspected that the nest was under the floor of the laundry which joined onto the house and he wrote, ‘Should that be so, I strongly recommend arsenical poisoning specially prepared to be placed on the nest which is readily devoured by the termites. Perspiration at once begins, & the poison which is sweetened is readily sought by the pest, that they become cannibalistic & complete extermination of the colony results as all ants must come to earth every twenty-four hours for moisture.’ ‘The method of destroying the pests by spraying or pouring the liquid over those found is not only expensive but inaffective [sic] as the thousands that escape simply shift quarters only to begin operations anew elsewhere as shown in the residence here.’6

The termites were then treated by Percy Flick of Ewingsdale who gave the treatment and a three year guarantee for £8.6.0.