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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001010521-09-000247.txt : 20090309
<SEC-HEADER>0001010521-09-000247.hdr.sgml : 20090309
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090309133738
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001010521-09-000247
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	DEFA14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090309
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090309
EFFECTIVENESS DATE:		20090309

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HANCOCK JOHN BANK & THRIFT OPPORTUNITY FUND
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000925683
		IRS NUMBER:				043241844
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MA

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		DEFA14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-08568
		FILM NUMBER:		09665552

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS
		STREET 2:		601 CONGRESS STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02210
		BUSINESS PHONE:		617-663-3000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS
		STREET 2:		601 CONGRESS STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02210

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HANCOCK JOHN REGIONAL BANK & THRIFT FUND
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19940620
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>DEFA14A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>bto.htm
<DESCRIPTION>JOHN HANCOCK BANK & THRIFT OPPORTUNITY FUND
<TEXT>

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     <TD noWrap align=center><B><FONT face=serif>JOHN HANCOCK BANK AND THRIFT OPPORTUNITY FUND AND</FONT></B><BR>
<B><FONT face=serif>PATRIOT PREMIUM DIVIDEND FUND II</FONT></B><BR>
<BR>
<B><U><FONT face=serif>IMPORTANT </FONT></U></B><B><FONT face=serif><U>REMINDER</U></FONT></B><BR>
<BR>
<B><U><FONT face=serif>PLEASE </FONT></U></B><B><FONT face=serif><U>VOTE YOUR SHARES BEFORE April 14, 2009</U></FONT></B></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif>March 9, 2009</FONT><BR>
<BR>
<FONT face=serif>Dear John Hancock Shareholder,</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif>I am writing to you in regard to materials I previously sent you relating to proposals that will be voted on at a Special Meeting of Shareholders of the John Hancock Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund and the Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II, scheduled for April 14, 2009.</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif>Given the turmoil in the markets, I am not surprised that you haven&#146;t had time to review the materials and return your vote. Since the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2008 through the date of this letter, we have experienced a market decline second only to that experienced during the Great Depression. With this environment as our backdrop, I&#146;m sure the last thing on your mind is completing your proxy vote. However, the proposals on which we need your vote are very important and I am writing to ask that you take a moment to review below a brief outline of each proposal. As you will see, they are designed to allow John Hancock to continue to provide high levels of stewardship and to streamline the operations of your fund(s).</FONT></P>
<P align=left><B><FONT face=serif>Here is important information on the proposals as detailed in the proxy materials.</FONT></B></P>
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     <TD vAlign=top noWrap><B><FONT face=serif>1.</FONT></B>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </TD>
     <TD width="100%"><B><FONT face=serif>Elect your fund&#146;s Board of Trustees</FONT></B> </TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
     <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif>For each fund, the proposal asks shareholders to elect six Trustees to serve until their respective successors are elected and qualified. Each of these Trustees is well qualified to serve, as you will see by the descriptions of their backgrounds included in the Proxy statement previously sent to you,</FONT> </TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD vAlign=top noWrap><B><FONT face=serif>2.</FONT></B>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </TD>
     <TD width="100%"><B><FONT face=serif>Adopt a new form of investment advisory agreement</FONT></B> </TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
     <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif>The purpose of this proposal is to streamline the advisory agreements across the John Hancock Fund Complex, primarily to change the frequency with which the funds&#146; advisory fees are accrued and paid from monthly to daily, in order to provide consistency with other funds across the John Hancock Funds Complex. </FONT><B><FONT face=serif>The new form of Advisory Agreement will not result in any change in advisory fee rates or the level or quality of advisory services provided to the funds. </FONT></B><FONT face=serif>Other details and impacts of this proposal are described in the Proxy statement.</FONT> </TD></TR>
<TR>
     <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>
<TR>
     <TD noWrap align=center><B><FONT face=serif>YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT!</FONT></B></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif>For the reasons set forth in the proxy materials previously mailed to you, </FONT><B><FONT face=serif>the Funds&#146; Board of Trustees believes the proposals are in the shareholders&#146; best interest and unanimously</FONT></B></P>
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<P align=left><B><FONT face=serif>recommends that you vote in favor. </FONT></B><FONT face=serif>Please submit your vote promptly by calling toll-free 1-800-852-0218 or go to our Website: </FONT><U><FONT face=serif color=#0000ff>www</FONT></U><FONT face=serif color=#0000ff><U>.jhfunds.com/proxy</U></FONT><FONT face=serif>.</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif>Thank you for your prompt action and your consideration of these very important matters. Please be assured that we and our Board of Trustees will continue to work hard every day to provide our shareholders with the best possible long-term results regardless of market conditions. As difficult as it is to imagine right now, we are confident that the markets eventually will turn, and our managers are positioning our funds for the long-term benefit of our shareholders.</FONT></P>
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     <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>Sincerely,</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
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<P><FONT face=serif><U>/s/ Keith F. Hartstein</U></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=serif>Keith F. Hartstein</FONT><BR>
<FONT face=serif>President and Chief Executive Officer</FONT></P>
</TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=center><B><FONT face=serif>YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT! PLEASE VOTE TODAY!</FONT></B></P>
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