BATHING EXTRAORDINARY.

Patea Mail, 6 August 1881, Page 2

BATHING EXTRAORDINARY.

Now that the “root” of the N.P. breakwater has branched out to the water and actually touched it at high tide, the fact' is considered so remarkable that an invitation is offered to Patea sceptics to go and “ be taken to the end of the breakwater at high tide.” A particular and pressing invitation is given to the Editor of the Mail, who appears to be an arrant doubter ; and in his case it is guaranteed that if he does not then find water on three sides of him, he shall be farther invited to inspect the depth. Well, this damp invitation looks fishy. If it is a case of swimming, we will have it done by commission through the kind friend who sends the invitation. It appears also that this journal has stated and reiterated that £86,000 had been spent “ without getting near the water.” This statement is said to be wrong, and the way of proving the error is this. Although the official balance sheet of the Board made up to July 15th showed an expenditbre of £86,402 4s 6d, and although the “ root” did not then reach the water, yet five enormous concrete blocks have been laid since that date, and now the water actually touches the wall at high tide. Therefore it was wrong and wicked of the Mail to state and reiterate what had been stated and reiterated < in the official balance sheet of July 15th. Could newspaper wickedness go farther than that ? The problem stands thus: If £86,000 was spent before reaching the water, and if £2,000 more has been spent in actually reaching the water, it is still wrong, wickedly wrong, to reiterate that the water was not reached for an expenditure of £86,000. Happy Taranaki! Thy arithmetic is not according to Cocker.