ST. SWITHIN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2500, 19 July 1888, Page 3

ST. SWITHIN.

TO THE EDITOR, Sir, —I am not sufficiently acquainted with native traditions, to know if New Zealand boasts of an aboriginal St. Swithin ; if so, his anniversary must happen on the same clay as that of our own tithe inventing saint. Judging from the facility with which taxes are imposed on this country, I farcy that the AngloSaxon saint's general influence must have accompanied our colonisations, at any rate, that, or some other influence was decidedly felt on the weather to-day, (Sunday), and it will be worth noting, if f it be continued for the orthodox 40 days Y Kor such of your readers as may not be acquainted with the history of the saint. I send you the following short biography : —St Swithin lived over a thousand years ago. He was an eminently pious and learned Bishop of Winchester, and priest to King Egbert. He was the dtviserand originator of tithes in England. The story runs, that, being buried at his own request in the churchyard of the Cathedral, the priests a hundrtd years after, felt desirous ot doing him greater honour, and commenced the work of translating his remains into the interior. This was on the 15th July. They were stopped in their work, by a heavy fall of rain; neither could they resume their duty next day, for the heavy rain still nonti 1111 fl In .«h.;rl : tliir- r:.ii. - d f..rty (iiiys, I'V «''ii'iili lime rh»' )>i !<•»'« livcim" convinced fhit it was designed to stop them in a work, which, ihough- well meaut on their part, was ill, taken on that of the saint; and they gave up the point. Ever sinee then, it has been held, a maxim, that there be,rain_ ou St.

Swithin's Day (the loth July), there will, as previously observed, be rain for the ensuing forty days.—l am, etc.,