Sir Henry, however, was an outspoken opponent of the introduction, under the government of Harry Escombe, of the Dealers' Licences Act of 1897, which unfairly hampered the ability of Indians to carry on trade as merchant traders in the colony.
He was known to favour good relations with the neighbouring South African Republic (ZAR) under President Paul Kruger, a position which caused tensions with some of the fiercely pro-imperialist members of his cabinet, such as Albert Hime (Sir Albert Henry Hime) and Henry Bale (later, Sir Henry Bale, Chief Justice of Natal from 1901 to 1910); and with the newly appointed High Commissioner in South Africa, Sir Alfred Milner (Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner).
Binns married Clara Acutt, whom he had met when they were fellow passengers on the ship Early Morn from England as immigrants to Natal in 1858.
[11][12] His only surviving child, Percy Binns KC, was a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi at the Natal Bar and later became Chief Magistrate of Durban.
Treverton Preparatory School at Mooi River was founded by Sir Henry's grandson, Peter Binns.
A bust of Sir Henry Binns, as well as a memorial plaque in his honour, grace the vestibule to the Legislative Building of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in Pietermaritzburg.