Editing Harry Atkinson (section)

==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.