'Dunedin Benevolent Society.' Trusting that these few words will cause a move in the right direction, I am," &c.
(It may here be parenthetically remarked that several years after the publication of that letter, and when the committee and supporters of the Otago Benevolent Institution had a course of usefulness to look back upon, Mr. A. C. Strode, speaking from the chair at the annual meeting, and while giving a resumé of the history and work of the institution from its inception, incidentally alluded to a letter he had written urging the formation of such a society. As the letter of "An Old Otago Colonist" seems to be the only one that ever appeared, it is only reasonable to ascribe its authorship to that gentleman, and to award to him the merit of having been primarily instrumental in bringing into existence that organisation which during the past 25 years has ministered to the wants of thousands of men, women, and children in adverse circumstances, and provided for many homeless orphans.)
That letter quickly bore fruit, and within a month of its appearance a number of Dunedin gentlemen met with the view of giving effect to "An Old Otago Colonist's" suggestion. The movement was warmly supported by the Daily Times, which, in its issue of February 8th, 1862, said:—"With a population hastily attracted to the spot to follow an uncertain pursuit rather than a steady occupation, many must be severe sufferers by non-success. At one time, when every one knew every one, it was felt to be a privilege, rather than otherwise, to offer assistance in time of misfortune. But now, when men are mostly strangers to their nearest neighbours—when each one endeavours to jostle the others in the race after fortune's favours—the game of life has lost its unexciting "live and let live" character; it is played with absorbing interest—the wrapped earnestness of those who stake their all on the hazard of the die. We can speak from absolute knowledge of much actual individual distress existing, which such an institution as a Benevolent Asylum would assist in alleviating. Persons suffering from chronic diseases, not admissible patients to an hospital, convalescents recovering from lengthened illnesses, unfortunates deprived for a time of work and subjected to temporary distress, women deserted by their husbands and children by their parents—these are the cases
