OBITUARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4149, 29 June 1892, Page 3

OBITUARY.

Sir Harry Atkinson, M.LG.

[By Telegraph.-Press Association.]

Wellington, June 28. w Harry Atkinson died suddenly after the Council rose this afternoon, Parliament has adjourned, THE LAST 60ENE, According to the New Zealand Timeß of to-day Sir Harry Atkinson was in bis place in the Council as usual, presiding, at the appointed hour. His friends were averse to his doing any work ; they felt that rest was tho one thing he needed—not to enable him to recover, but to give him the brat chance to prolong the useful life whioh was not far beyond the threshold of old age. But the instinct of the old soldier clung to duty j his friends thought that if he were kept from duty, he would (ret and fume, In fact they understood his resolute spirit, and they ceased to make objection. And it came to pass that on the last day of his life Sir Harry AMhson was in harness, His heart was affected. Its condition was a constant threat to him; but he faced the world serenely and no one ever saw a bint ol fear in the brave eyes. Yesterday, when the names were mentioned of the absent who would never more answer to the muster roll, bis face was observed to be set, Sir Patrick Buckley, and Mr Oliver made sympathetic reference to the late Sir Frederick the constant colleague and companion of the Speaker listening *ith rigid ashen face. When the Council adjourned, which it presently did out of respect for the memory of the dead, Mr Oliver and Captain Morris wentwith Sir Harry to his room, They talked with him of death, and they offered sympathy for the loss of his old friend. They hoped his own state of health might be improving.

Sir Harry was cheerful and pleasant, but disguise the situation in which he stood he would not. No, he said with the pleasant smile which so often lighted up his rugged face, he wajuiot likely to get better, ' I have gofyy marching ore'ers,' ho added witlf that touch of soldierly simplicity which distinguished so much of what be said and did. . The uncompromising statement shocked his two friends, They depre. cated it. ■ They assured him that be had not looked so well for many s day as ho had done when he put the question of adjournment' that afternoon. To that he made the rather suiprising reply to the effect that he did not feel quite right just then, and be added that he should not like bis friends to leave him just for a moment or two. After a little more chat he seemed to feel better, Mr Oliver toot bis leave, and some little time after Captain Morris. Scarcely bad be done so wbea the messengers in their room heard a faint, muflkl sound of a bell that failed to ring for laok of Btrenglb in the hand pressing the button at the other end.. Captain Morris was quickly back in the room, and Sir Harry was found in a state of collapse, Mr Oliver, who wasconidfeicated'with, found Dr Grace in the^.building, <snd the doctor was at his old.friend's side in a moment. But it was too late. The Angel of Death had gopethere before him,' and the wearied statesman was obeying the beckoning finger with the dignity of a great man who knows how to die. There is off tb,e Speaker's room an alcove with a bed lighted by a window at its head. On that bed they laid him, they received his last sigh with the few broken words (bat none could understand, they closed bis eyes, and all was over. ' ,' .'/,;., ; , '

Soldier rest, thy warfaro o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows no breakiri) Dream o! fighting fields no moio, Morn of toil, nor night of waking, The words eeera to float nbovehirj as we stand reverently by that bed side watching that last majestic sleep It is the sleep ofintenso weariness deep, solemn, calm, mid oh I so tired If ever man died of over-work, if eve human creature was worn out by over strain of faculties, physical and mental by overstretch of unceasing toilsome duty, it is ho *ho lies on that quit) lied in the little darkening alcove, foi whom there will be no further disturbance till the Crnok ofDaom. BIS CAREER. Sir Harry was born in Cheshire in 1831, and came to the Colony in 1855, landing on Die bench opposite the Sugar Loaves, close to the struggling little town of New Plymomli. In 1808 he entered Parliament, and was vny soon a member of Cabinet, His portfolio was that of Defence. It was in Mr Weld's Ministry, and »elf-rrliancß was the policy, 'No man did more than Major Atkinson to make that policy acceptable to the colonist, for the simple reason that no man had dons more to prove the capacity of the settlers to rely upon thum. The Ministry ceased to : exist in 1865, and from 1868 to 1873 M'ljor Atkinson was not in Parliament, In 1876 ho was Minister ' of Crown Lands and Immigration, and on the retirement of Sir ; Julius Vog-4 to the Agent-General- ; ship, became Premier and Colonial ' Treasurer. In 1877 he was defeated 1 by Sir' George Grey, who held office until October, 1879. Then Mr Hall defeating him assumed the Premier--1 ship with Major Atkinson as Treasurer In 1884 the Major became Premier, succeeding Sir Frederick Whitaker, only to fall before the attack of Major Steward, who was backed by the discontent caused by the grain rates on the Southern Bailways. He appealed to the country, and Sir Julius Vogel and Sir Robert Stout were returned with the new House, which contained an unprecedented number of new members, The new combination was backed by the Midland Kailway agitation, and by tho desire for change, iho outcome of a long depression; and it trusted to the reputations of Sir Julius Vogel and Sir Robert Stout. It proved too strong for Major Atkinson, who led the Opposition with skill and vigour until 1887, when the turn of the wheel again placed him at the head of affaire. In May, 1884, he was knighted. In 1887 Sir Harry Atkinson attacked a difficult piece of work. His colleagues being new to the business, much work devolved upon him, A deficit stared him in the face, money was wanted for public works, tho revenue had to be materially strengthened, and the country was resounding with tho " roar of retrenchment," It was a complication of work and the House was unusually difficult to manage, But of all the work nothing [tressed so hard on Sir Harry's generous spirit as the work of retrenchment. To him it was awful. His spirit was broken, the worries of that terrible duty, and the increased burden of tho Premiership at a difficult time, told on his physique, Gradually his strength gave way, and very reluctantly he had to retire from active Parliamentary and Ministerial duty, A trip to Hobart. from which much was expected, in 1889 failed to restore him, and the session of 1890 suw him a wreck. After the defeat of his party in the elections of 1890, lie retired with the general sympathy of the Colony to the Speakership of the Legislative Council. It was widely regretted at the time, and still is, that the Colony had nothing better to offer as a right to the man who had spent his life in the public service with suoh high, distinction. 'When he went to Sydney at the beginning of last year to represent the Colony at the Federation Conference, we all hoped hn would benefit by the change. But he returned without improvement and set himself quietly to wait for the end, winch he know could not bo far off. With what Bteadfast oourage he faced the position only those knew who had the privilege of his confidence, But no one is astonished to hear that. Thousands know how calmly he faced death in the field, even the first time he pasted under firo. _ And the whole Colony has admired the cheerful brave spirit he has brought to bear on the two most difficult situations in our history; the situation of affairs preceding the withdrawal of the Imperial troops, and the long period of commercial depression through so great a part of which he was entrusted with (he duty of piloting the Colony through its troubles, I BY SPECIAL WIRE.I Wellington, Wednesday. Sir Harry Aikineon'B body was re. moved to hiß late rosidonco last night, It is stated that the funeral will take place to-morrow morning,