Sodden death of Sir Harry Atkinson.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XX, Issue 2548, 29 June 1892, Page 3

Sodden death of Sir Harry Atkinson.

He leaves the Speaker's chair and expires. Wellington, last night.—lmmediately the Legislative Council adjourned to-day, the Speaker, Sir Harry Atkinson, retired to bis private room and died. Both Houses having adjourned, tbe death caused a terrible shock. Sir Harrj Atkinson has been suffering for the past 2 years from a disease of the circulatory system, and he had been warned by his medical adviser that any new excilemeiit might cause instant death, but that if he managed to survive for a few years, with rest and care, his life might be indefinitely prolonged. The flags on shipping, business houses and consulates were lowered to balf mast as a mark of respect for the memory of Sir Harry Atkinson. At the request of the Governor it was decided to postpone till Monday next the Citizens ball, which was to hare been given this evening in his Honor. Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, whose sudden death yesterday has given a painful shock to a numerous body of friends and the public generally, was a man who for the past 30 years has taken an active part in the affairs of the colony. Oiiginally a Taranaki settler, he saw active service with the troops in the Taranaki wars during the early part of the '60s, and subsequently entered upon political life about 1864. A man of no great education and of somewhat uncouth manner, he nevertheless was possessed of determination, energy and considerable latent ability, a combination of qualities which gradually developed in him the power of mastering the details of the various offices whioh he subsequently filled as a member of the New Zwland Ministry, In 1874 he tried his pren^ce hand at finance, preparing and delivering the budget for that year, in tho i absence of the Colonial Treasurer. Having thus acquired a taste for and an insight into finance, he accepted the post of Treasurer m 1876 and held office, with an interval of two years, until 1884. Later he assumed we rains as Premier and again had a long ksmi pf officd until the defeat of his Governo»ent in HB9O, he obtained an appoint■*"«t to the calmer atmosphere of the Upper House. In politics Sir Harry Atkinson was ■^somewhat curious mixture of advaEced «wtal view 8 and an oulwaidty conservative poKe?t a position only tenable in a country w $aeh crude and indefinite political parties JJ «eir Zealand That he was zealous for *•■ country's good is allowed by friends and «*8 and we think all are willing now to * Be to bis virtues ever kind, And to his faults a little blind.*

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