Editing Harry Atkinson (section)

===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.