ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1907, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

«. 1 /From Our Own Correspondent .) LONDON, 28th December. Under the heading "Tho Lucky Pig givos place to Hci Tiki— tho God of the Maoris" — a London paper says: — "Tho lucky pig is dead ; killed by an evergrowing wave of occultism and superstition. A year or two ago the lucky pig, or the lucky bean, was worn more for fun than anything else ; nowadays womon are wearing mpr,c charms and amulets than ever, but they ' are all in the design of somo mystic sign, and their owners have implicit faith in their efficacy. Perhaps the favonrite amulet is 'Hei Tiki,' the sacred God of tho Maoris. Thousands of representations of him are sold in greenjade, the New Zealand lucky greenstone, at prices ranging from half-ti-crovvn for small ones about jjin bigh, to £20 or £30 for -largo- ones decorated with jewels. Ono London firm that deals in greenstone ornaments said yesterday that they have sold nearly 1000 of theso charms this Christmas. 'Many people firmly believe, in them,' declared the dealer." Some timo ago a small consignment w.as made to London of TOlbs of ctono from tho Kuranui-Caledonian Mine, for treatment, here... The directors of the company sent it to, Hatton Garden for crushing,- and they havo been agreeably surprised to roeeive a cheque for £340 as a result, this being the value of tho stone after all expenses had been paid. Needless to say all Anglo-Colonial bußincss is at a standstill just now, and will bo for at least another week. Most business pooplo are out of town. Many of thoso who remained are "down" with influenza, and, upart . from that there coems to provail in moro than usual strength the determination to "let things slide," and .postpone all business until after. Iho New Year. Excellent space hfts been taken by the how Zealand Government »t tho Belfast Exhibition. The area secured is 40ft by 70ft, and is immediately opposite one of the main entrances. A number of tho birds sent by tho >o\v Zealand Government, on board tho s.s. lonic, as a present for tho Austrian Emperor, died 'on the passage to l-ondon. Tho remaindor have been lodgod in the Zoological Gardens here pending the receipt -of the Emperor's wishos for Their disposal. The chamois presented to New Zealand are on their wair to England, and if possible they will be shipped to tho colony by tho s.s. lonic, which 'eaves again on tho 10th January.