View source for Harry Atkinson

{{Short description|Premier of New Zealand (1831–1892)}}
{{About|the premier of New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix       = [[The Honourable]] [[Sir]]
|name                   = Harry Atkinson
|honorific-suffix       = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KCMG|size=100%}}
|image                  = Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, ca 1885.jpg
|caption                = Atkinson {{circa|1885}}
|order                  = 10th [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Premier of New Zealand]]
|monarch                = [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]]
|governor               = [[George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby|George Phipps]]<br />[[William Jervois]]<br />[[William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow|William Onslow]]
|term_start             = 1 September 1876
|term_end               = 13 October 1877
|predecessor            = [[Julius Vogel]]
|successor              = [[George Grey|Sir George Grey]]
|predecessor2           = [[Frederick Whitaker]]
|successor2             = [[Robert Stout]]
|term_start2            = 25 September 1883
|term_end2              = 16 August 1884
|predecessor3           = [[Robert Stout]]
|successor3             = [[Robert Stout]]
|term_start3            = 28 August 1884
|term_end3              = 3 September 1884
|predecessor4           = [[Robert Stout]]
|successor4             = [[John Ballance]]
|term_start4            = 8 October 1887
|term_end4              = 24 January 1891
|order5                 = 7th [[Speaker of the New Zealand Legislative Council|Speaker of the Legislative Council]]
|term_start5            = 23 January 1891
|term_end5              = 28 June 1892
|predecessor5           = [[George Waterhouse (politician)|George Waterhouse]]
|successor5             = [[Henry Miller (New Zealand politician)|Henry Miller]]
|birth_name = Harry Albert Atkinson
|birth_date             = {{birth date|1831|11|1|df=y}}
|birth_place            = [[Broxton, Cheshire]], England
|death_date             = {{death date and age|1892|6|28|1831|11|1|df=y}}
|death_place            = [[Wellington]], New Zealand
|resting_place          = [[Karori Cemetery]], Wellington, New Zealand
|spouse                 = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Amelia Jane Skinner|1856|1865|end=d.}}
* {{marriage|Ann Elizabeth Smith|1867}}
}}
|children               = 7
|relatives              = [[Arthur Atkinson (politician, born 1833)|Arthur Atkinson]] (brother)<br />[[Maria Atkinson]] (sister-in-law)<br />{{nowrap|[[William Richmond (politician)|William Richmond]] (brother-in-law)}}<br />[[Harry Atkinson (physicist)|Harry Atkinson]] (grandson)<br />[[Torchy Atkinson]] (grandson)<ref>{{DNZB|last=Bollard|first=E. G.|id=5a24|title=John Dunstan Atkinson|access-date=23 April 2017}}</ref><br />[[Monica Brewster]] (granddaughter)<br />[[Arthur Atkinson (politician, born 1863)|Arthur Atkinson]] (nephew)<br />[[Harry Atkinson (socialist)|Harry Atkinson]] (nephew)<br />[[Mary Richmond (teacher)|Mary Richmond]] (niece)
|party                  = None
|signature              = Harry Atkinson Signature.jpg
|allegiance      = [[Colony of New Zealand]]
| rank            = Major
| unit            = [[Taranaki Regiment|Taranaki Rifle Volunteers]]
| commands        = 
| battles         = 
}}

'''Sir Harry Albert Atkinson''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KCMG|size=100%}} (1 November 1831 – 28 June 1892) served as the tenth [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|premier of New Zealand]] on four occasions in the late 19th century, and was [[Minister of Finance (New Zealand)|Colonial Treasurer]] for a total of ten years. He was responsible for guiding the country during a time of economic [[recession|depression]], and was known as a cautious and prudent manager of government finances, though distrusted for some policies such as his 1882 National Insurance (welfare) scheme and leasehold land schemes. He also participated in the formation of voluntary military units to fight in the [[New Zealand Wars]], and was noted for his strong belief in the need for seizure of [[Māori people|Māori]] land.

==Early life==
Atkinson, born in 1831 in the English village of [[Broxton, Cheshire]], received his education in England, but chose at the age of 22 to follow his elder brother William to New Zealand.{{sfn|Reeves|1901}} He was accompanied by his brother [[Arthur Atkinson (politician, born 1833)|Arthur]] together with members of the Richmond family. On arriving in New Zealand, Harry and Arthur bought farmland in [[Taranaki]], as did the Richmonds, and also the Ronalds family – five brothers and sisters of Dr [[Edmund Ronalds]]. [[James Crowe Richmond|James]] and [[William Richmond (politician)|William Richmond]] also later entered politics and the Ronalds sisters married Atkinson's brothers.<ref>{{Cite book|title=My Hand Will Write what My Heart Dictates: The Unsettled Lives of Women in Nineteenth-century New Zealand|last1=Porter|first1=F.|last2=Macdonald|first2=C.|last3=MacDonald|first3=T.|publisher=Bridget Williams Books|year=1996}}</ref> Atkinson's correspondence shows that he was highly satisfied with his decision to move to New Zealand, seeing it as an opportunity to prosper. He named his small farmhouse [[Hurworth, New Zealand|Hurworth]] after a village in England where he had lived as a boy, although—as his father worked as an itinerant builder and architect—the family did not settle anywhere.

==Military service==
Atkinson was made a [[sergeant]] of the [[Taranaki Regiment|Taranaki Volunteer Rifle Company]] in February 1859{{sfn|Penn|1909|p=8}} and then commissioned as a [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]] in March.{{sfn|Penn|1909|p=13}} He led No. 2 Company throughout the [[First Taranaki War]] and saw action at the Battles of [[Battle of Waireka|Waireka]], [[Battle of Mahoetahi|Mahoetahi]] and Kaitake.<ref name="DNZB Atkinson"/> He was promoted to [[Major (rank)|major]] in February 1864.{{sfn|Penn|1909|p=61}}

==Provincial politics==
Atkinson first became involved in politics, as a member of the [[Taranaki Province|Taranaki provincial council]]. He represented the Grey and Bell electorate from 1857 to 1865, and again from 1873 to 1874.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=231}} He was a member of the Executive Council from 1868{{Note|No end year given in the source}} and again in 1874 (May to October).{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=231}} He was Deputy [[Superintendent (New Zealand)|Superintendent]] in 1861–1862 to [[Charles Brown (New Zealand politician)|Charles Brown]], and again in 1863.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=230}}

Of particular interest to him was policy regarding Māori-owned land, which he wished to see taken over by the British settlers. Continued Māori ownership, he believed, prevented economic development for the colony. Atkinson and his Richmond relations regarded the Māori as "savages", and believed in war as a reasonable option for ensuring Māori co-operation with British land-acquisition.

==Member of Parliament==
{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}}
 {{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1861 Grey and Bell by-election|1861]]
 |end        = 1866
 |term       = 3rd
 |electorate = [[Grey and Bell]]
 |party      = Independent politician
 }}
{{NZ parlbox break}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1867 New Plymouth by-election|1867]]
 |end        = 1869
 |term       = 4th
 |electorate = [[New Plymouth (New Zealand electorate)|Town of New Plymouth]]
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox break}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1872 Egmont by-election|1872]]
 |end        = 1875
 |term       = 5th
 |electorate = [[Egmont (New Zealand electorate)|Egmont]]
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1875–1876 New Zealand general election|1876]]<!-- election held on 3 January 1876 -->
 |end        = 1879
 |term       = 6th
 |electorate = Egmont
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1879 New Zealand general election|1879]]
 |end        = 1881
 |term       = 7th
 |electorate = Egmont
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1881 New Zealand general election|1881]]
 |end        = 1884
 |term       = 8th
 |electorate = Egmont
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1884 New Zealand general election|1884]]
 |end        = 1887
 |term       = 9th
 |electorate = Egmont
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1887 New Zealand general election|1887]]
 |end        = 1890
 |term       = 10th
 |electorate = Egmont
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |start      = [[1890 New Zealand general election|1890]]
 |end        = 1891
 |term       = 11th
 |electorate = Egmont
 |party      = Independent politician
}}
{{End}}
The death of [[William Cutfield King]] in February 1861 caused a by-election in the [[Grey and Bell]] electorate. Atkinson was elected to [[New Zealand Parliament|Parliament]] unopposed. In 1864, he was made [[Minister of Defence (New Zealand)|Defence Minister]] in the government of [[Frederick Weld]]. He was highly active in this portfolio, advocating a policy of ''self-reliance'' in the conduct of the war. In 1866, however, he retired due to the death of his wife Amelia (whom he had married in 1856). The following year, he married his cousin Annie. He returned to parliament from 1867 to 1869 for the [[New Plymouth (New Zealand electorate)|Town of New Plymouth]] electorate, but in April 1869 he resigned to concentrate on maintaining his farm.

In 1872, Atkinson returned to politics for the [[Egmont (New Zealand electorate)|Egmont]] electorate; to defeat [[William Sefton Moorhouse]], who was allied with [[William Fox (politician)|William Fox]], a prominent supporter of Māori land rights. Atkinson declared that he would "not see a ''Foxite'' get in", and narrowly defeated Moorhouse. Once in parliament, Atkinson soon became involved in economic matters, opposing the policies of [[Julius Vogel]] (who also happened to be a supporter of Māori land rights). Vogel, who supported extensive borrowing to finance public works, was attacked by Atkinson as reckless. Vogel's response was that Atkinson was overly cautious, and would delay economic progress.

Atkinson and Vogel both agreed, however, that borrowing by provincial government (as opposed to the central government) was indeed out of control. The two also believed that provincial politicians were petty and self-interested, and that more co-operation was needed between provinces and the state. It was this shared view of provincial government that enabled Vogel and Atkinson to co-operate, although they never resolved their differences on borrowing by the central government or on dealings with the Māori. Atkinson eventually became part of Vogel's [[New Zealand Cabinet|cabinet]], but not with portfolios related to negotiations with Māori or to finance. He did continue to express his opinions on these matters, but found it increasingly harder to convince people of his views.

==Premier of New Zealand==
{{Conservatism New Zealand}}
===First term===
In 1876, Vogel retired, and Atkinson managed to secure the Premiership. One of his first acts was to abolish the [[Provinces of New Zealand|provinces]]. He also took over direct responsibility for financial policy, and implemented a less aggressive strategy for borrowing. He attempted to reform the system by which money was handled, placing all responsibility for borrowing with the government while increasing control of spending at a district or municipal level. However, growing economic problems caused his plan to encounter difficulties. As the economy declined, Atkinson became more and more unpopular.

===Second and third terms===
Atkinson lost power in 1877, only slightly over a year after he gained it. He entered opposition, continuing to promote his ideas of financial caution. He also proposed a number of other measures, including national insurance. In 1883, he managed to make a comeback, gaining the Premiership for eleven months before losing it to [[Robert Stout]]. The two then engaged in a protracted struggle for the leadership. A strong counter-offensive by Atkinson enabled him to unseat Stout again after only twelve days. Stout, however, was not so easily defeated, and took the Premiership again after seven days. This time, Stout held his position for three years, defeating Atkinson's attempts to oust him.

===Fourth term===
There was confusion in Wellington in September 1887 when the members gathered to form a government. [[John Bryce]], [[Robert Stout]] and [[William Rolleston]] had all lost their seats. Sir [[John Hall (New Zealand)|John Hall]] said he was too old. Sir [[Julius Vogel]]'s policies had been rejected by the voters. So there was no alternative to Harry Atkinson, and after two weeks of negotiations he announced a ministry on 11 October. Only two ministers had served with him before. The ''Scarecrow Ministry'' was not expected to last, but did. The years 1887 and 1888 were the worst of the Long Depression, and Atkinson cut salaries, raised loans and raised customs duties. He was not popular with the wealthy, but they feared the Opposition leaders Grey and Ballance even more.

During this term, Atkinson was [[Minister of Finance (New Zealand)|Colonial Treasurer]] (1887–1891), Postmaster-General (1887–1889), Commissioner of Telegraphs (1887–1889), [[Minister of Marine (New Zealand)|Minister of Marine]] (1887–1891), Commissioner of Stamps (1887–1891), [[Minister of Education (New Zealand)|Minister of Education]] (1889), and Commissioner of Trade and Customs.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=70}} In January 1888, Atkinson was appointed a [[Order of St Michael and St George|Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]].<ref name="DNZB Atkinson">{{DNZB|last=Bassett|first=Judith |id=1a10|title=Atkinson, Harry Albert|access-date=13 May 2013}}</ref> A [[Freemasonry|Freemason]], he was installed as the Wellington district grand master in May 1888.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18880529.2.12 | title=Installation of Sir H. A. Atkinson | date=29 May 1888 | work=[[The Evening Post (New Zealand)|The Evening Post]] | access-date=14 March 2015 | page=2}}</ref>

By 1890 Atkinson was too ill to make speeches in the House.

===Defeat===
[[File:Harry Atkinson Grave.jpg|thumb|Harry Atkinson's grave in Karori Cemetery.]]
In 1891, Atkinson was finally superseded as Premier by [[John Ballance]] of the newly created [[New Zealand Liberal Party|Liberal Party]], the country's first organised political party. Atkinson acceded to the wishes of his friends, and on 23 January 1891 he was appointed to the [[New Zealand Legislative Council|Legislative Council]], along with six other men, to attempt to block any radical bills that Ballance might introduce in the Lower House. Ballance became Premier on 24 January, and appointed Atkinson as Speaker of the Legislative Council.{{sfn|Reeves|1901}}

The Liberals, who represented the ideas of William Fox, Julius Vogel, and many other of Atkinson's opponents, were to hold power for 21 years after Atkinson's defeat, but Atkinson was not to see this. After presiding over the first meeting of the Council on 28 June in the 1892 session, Atkinson returned to the Speaker's Room, where he died.{{sfn|Reeves|1901}} He was buried in [[Karori Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wellington.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/cemeteries/cemeteries-search/details?id=67714&serviceType=Burial |title=Cemeteries search |date=12 July 2012 |publisher=Wellington City Council |access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last=Penn |first=W. J.|year=1909|title=The Taranaki Rifle Volunteers:a corps with a history|url=https://archive.org/details/taranakiriflevol00penn|location=New Plymouth|publisher=Thomas Avery|oclc=1016669110}}
*{{cite book |last= Scholefield |first= Guy |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 |author-link=Guy Scholefield |edition=3rd |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1950 |publisher=Govt. Printer |location= Wellington}}
*{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition=4th |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103}}
* ''Sir Harry Atkinson'' by Judith Bassett (1975, Auckland/Oxford University Presses) {{ISBN|0-19-647934-7}}
* ''Sir Harry Atkinson'' by Judith Bassett (1969, AH & AW Reed, Wellington; New Zealand Profiles series of booklets)
*{{cite DNBSupp|wstitle=Atkinson, Harry|first=William Pember|last=Reeves}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081020225712/http://www.primeminister.govt.nz/oldpms/1876atkinson.html Prime Minister's Office biography]
*[http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/A/AtkinsonSirHarryAlbertKcmg/AtkinsonSirHarryAlbertKcmg/en Biography in the 1966 ''Encyclopaedia of New Zealand'']
*[http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/R/RichmondChristopherWilliam/RichmondChristopherWilliam/en The related Richmond family in the 1966 ''Encyclopaedia of New Zealand'']
* [https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov10_02Rail-t1-body-d5.html ''Harry Atkinson'' by James Cowan]
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Atkinson, Sir Harry Albert|volume=2|pages=852–853}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{S-bef | before = [[Julius Vogel]] }}
{{s-ttl | rows = 4 | title= [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Premier of New Zealand]]|years=1876–1877 <br />1883–1884 <br />1884 <br />1887–1891}}
{{s-aft | after= [[George Grey]]}}
{{S-bef | before = [[Frederick Whitaker]]}}
{{s-aft | after= [[Robert Stout]]}}
{{S-bef | before = Robert Stout}}
{{s-aft | after= Robert Stout}}
{{S-bef | before = Robert Stout}}
{{s-aft | after= [[John Ballance]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
|-
{{s-bef | before = Julius Vogel}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Postmaster-General (New Zealand)|Postmaster-General<br />and Commissioner of Telegraphs]] | years=1887–1889}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Edwin Mitchelson]]}}
|-
{{s-bef | before = [[George Fisher (New Zealand politician)|George Fisher]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Education (New Zealand)|Minister of Education]] | years=1889}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Thomas William Hislop]]}}
|-
{{s-bef | before = [[William Fitzherbert (New Zealand politician)|William Fitzherbert]] }}
{{s-ttl
 | title = [[Speaker of the New Zealand Legislative Council]]
 | years = 1891–1892
}}
{{s-aft | after=[[Henry Miller (New Zealand politician)|Henry Miller]] }}
|-
{{s-par | nz}}
{{s-bef | before = [[William Cutfield King]] }}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Grey and Bell|Member of Parliament for Grey and Bell]] | years = 1861–1866 }}
{{s-aft | after = [[James Crowe Richmond]] }}
{{s-bef | before = [[John Richardson (New Zealand politician)|John Richardson]] }}
{{s-ttl | title = [[New Plymouth (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Town of New Plymouth]] | years = 1867–1869 }}
{{s-aft | after = [[Thomas Kelly (New Zealand politician)|Thomas Kelly]] }}
{{s-bef | before = [[William Gisborne]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[Egmont (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Egmont]] | years=1872–1891}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Felix McGuire]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{New Zealand prime ministers}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, Harry}}
[[Category:1831 births]]
[[Category:1892 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Cheshire]]
[[Category:British emigrants to New Zealand]]
[[Category:Members of the Taranaki Provincial Council]]
[[Category:Speakers of the New Zealand Legislative Council]]
[[Category:Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council]]
[[Category:Ministers of defence of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Ministers of education of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Ministers of finance of New Zealand]]
[[Category:People from Cheshire West and Chester]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of New Zealand]]
[[Category:19th-century prime ministers of New Zealand]]
[[Category:New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates]]
[[Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives]]
[[Category:New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
[[Category:New Zealand Freemasons]]
[[Category:Burials at Karori Cemetery]]
[[Category:Atkinson–Hursthouse–Richmond family]]
[[Category:19th-century New Zealand politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century New Zealand military personnel]]
[[Category:New Zealand Army officers]]