some frazarian speculations from the Northen Advocate , attesting to the interest in the origin of custom common to the late 19th and early 20th century
TIMELY TOPICS
Northern Advocate , 30 May 1925, Page 9
with thanks to the National Library of New Zealand
EsotericNZ 
‘we touch wood to direct the attention of the tree spirit to the fact that we recognise his influence in the good luck of which we boast’ – love this 🙂 Never thought of it that way!