THE BAND OF HOPE.

Evening Star, Issue 3673, 30 November 1874, Page 2

THE BAND OF HOPE.

To die Editor. Sir, —Being one who has for years past evinced an interest in the Dunedin Band of Hope, my attention wss naturally attracted by a letter iu your Saturday evening's Lsue, signed “J. Athiel Beswick.” Your correspondent very incorrectly states that “ where the instruments of the rife and Drum Band are but few, if any, know,” Please permit me to relieve your correspondent of his evident anxiety by informing him that the committee entrusted the in•strumenls. together with the library, in the charge of one of the officers, who is taking every care of them—a Let which is not only known by tho committee, but also by a large number of the members who took and still take too great an interest in Baud of Hope matters to allow the property to be neglected or destroyed.

Your correspondent also takes it upon himself to charge the committee “ with having sunk into a state of lethargy, into which their principles should never have allowed them to fall.” This, sir, is not the case ; for t am confident that the committee are as deeply impressed now as ever they were of the importance and value of the Bind of Hope movement; and the pr nciple reason which induced t ,- .em to suspend the meetings for a short time was, that the takings at the door were not sufficient to meet of rent, which was 12s 6d per night, under which sum no suitable room could be got; and the committee expected that when the Temperance Hall was completed suitable accommodation would be obtained for a less sum. Members of the f ommittee also evidence that their principles have not allowed them to sink into a state of lethargy by being engaged in circles of activity and usefulness in the Temperance movement such as Sons of Temperance, Good Templars, &c., in which circles your correspondent’s principles and desire for usefulness have not led him, or 1 venture to affirm I would have made his acquaintance ere this. In conclusion, I would inform your correspondent that the committee we. e convened last week for the purpose of re-opening the Dunedin Baud of Hope, and that 1 galled a meeting two months ago for the same objeeb, hut reasons for which I am not responsible did nob permit its being held. I shall be most willing to give your correspondent what information I can in private, and I would suggest that he ascertain the correctness of his statements in future before he gives publicity to them.—l am, &c., D. J. Cameron.