Wairarapa Daily Times [ESTABLISHED 1878] THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1892. SIR HARRY ATKINSON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4152, 30 June 1892, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times [ESTABLISHED 1878] THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1892. SIR HARRY ATKINSON.

Being the extended title of the Wairarapa Daily, with which it is IDENTICAL

The pathos of the death whioh has brought upon this Colony a sorrow as profound as it is universal, is deepened by the singularly solemn circumstances in whioh it ocourred. In the Chamber of the Legislative Council on Tuesday afternoon, mournful mention was made of the members who had passed away, and the House adjourned in respectful memory of the doiwl. W«U>!-~)r([H!inHr of an hour, the Speaker of 'that House himself had breathed his last—dv>«o. —■— been well at ms P oßt of j puouo duty, The journals of this colony will doubtless vie with each other in giving expression to the grateful appreciation in wbioh Sir Harry Atkinson is held.. If, then, we venture to contribute a few observations of our own at suoh a time as | this, it is hot with the thought of being able to add anything material to the publio knowledge of the great departed colonist, but rather as the simple and necessary expression of our sincere grief that Sir Harry Atkinson is gone,

There was true greatness in this man. The supreme value of character, at least m much as the importance of ability, to equip a man for public life, is emphasised for all colonists by the record of the deceased statesman's political oareer, And, indeed, the history of Sir Harry Atkinson's life is to a large extent the history of, New Zealand, As a young settler, < he saw the Colony in its primitive | condition, Individualism was domi? naot; cohesion among colonists difficult to achieve; tho Natives were a constant anxietyjthe very government of the Colony was almost tentative in its character and uncertain in its' operation.' He lived to see the early difficulties of settlement everywhere overcome, to see the hut of the pioneer give place to the mansion of nineteeth" century civilisation, to see the halting and clumsy eommunica* tion of coaching days superseded by t network of railways used by a relatively large population; he lived to see inter-oomtnunioation bring about the break-up of local jealousies betwepn different parts of the Colony -and in every stage of our national progress he himself played a prominent and honourable part, When the, past generation of colonists found themselves fighting the Maoris in defence of their homes, the Colony had no finer soldier than Gap.tain Atjjinson, commanding the Taranakr Forest Bangers. .Coolness, resource, and foresight, 'added to that unfailing courage whioh marked the man through life, contributed to make for him such a record in those campaigning days' as any map might have been .content with: But thew was much more for suoh a mau to do; sterling though the service was which lip bad rendered in time of open war. In hie plane jn. Parliament lifl was to bring to the conduct of colonial affaire ah" that ' I vigour quickness of! inaißhtwhich fo «eOJra to the, front among men who liveu,!? fifing i times, Ho was to show himself one i ■ of the most capable Colonial Treasurer's that ire have ever seen, better informed' concerning ;the - Finances .which he undertook to superintend than any ot the critics,,whom he con* fronted.; He., was to, prove an abso* liiWy untiring worker, who never spared himself;'and, indeed, to this willingness to spend and be spent' for others it is owing that the Colony hat now to mourn his untimely death, Though one of the busiest, he was at the sacue lime the mosV accessible of men, No one-: wbo approached him failed to form the highest opinion of his kindness and capaoity, Those who .were , privileged., - to, enjoy his" friendship are'mourning him now most truly; for he was one of 'those' men who, caring perhaps too little for popularity, yield the knowledge of their .most lovable qualities only to the circle of (heir nearest friends.

pi iVj,-..v0,. •: ;■•: ;,;■.-. r pttblio ■ s'ervioeß v have bee n a liters' : and yetlofty sense apower in Parlia"' mint.! Forcible and,sensible, h fl i made toppdhente listen to him with j fespeotful while lie welded : his followera into a olose and loyal union which might many a time have I seemed impossible. The measures whioh he was instrumoatal in passing : into law, to say nothing of those ; which headvooated without aohieviog, bear witness to the practical turn of' mind whioh always sought to legislate ' for menas theyarerathev than for men as they might be, He was, we' are 1 inclined to say, the ideal of a colonial statesman; a man whose policy was decided, because it was the result ot conscientious thinking; a man who could be juat to all men j fair to every opponent, andrulmg party and Parliament by the sheer force of Lis known honesty and courage. The settler who gives himself to public life with the strenuous interest of Sir Harry Atkinson, may pome toregret the cost. But Sir Harry Atkinßon had counted the cost, and cheerfully accepted it. It might have been possible to watch his own interests while entrusted with the interests ot colonisis at large; but he was not the man to do it!'- He feathered no nest. He died, as he had lived, poor. We oannot pretend to offer what is' called " a oalm' and dispassionate criticism" of Sir Harry Atkinson as a public man. Of the view held by him concerning the true'nemis of this Colony, we have been to the best of our ability the steady advocate; and we deplore his loss as the loss ot. the leader of that party to which we have consistently attached ourselves. But we know very well that the loss is of Colonial importance—rising far above . questions of party government, It is the loss of a high-minded and singularly, capable man of affairs, whose place will be hard indeed to fill. Into the more private griefs of those who were united to himby ties of blood, we do not presume to intrude; to the members of his family we can do no more .than tender, in common with . all colonists, our earnest sympathy. As a public man only, we have spoken of him; and as a publio man his honoured memory will endure when this generation shall havcpassed away.