9/1150 Gunner Sinclair Allan Beaton 31/10/1892-4/12/1929

TO TRENTHAM.

ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF FROM DUNEDIN. 

Otago's quota of men for the Sixth Reinforcements left Dunedin on the 17th at midday. The public took a deep interest in the farewell, and at the Garrison Hall, in the Octagon, and at the railway station there were huge but very orderly assemblies. At the railway station, when the men were entering to entrain, the crowd was dense, and it was only by the exercise of tact and forbearance that the police managed to keep the way clear for the departing soldiers. 

AT THE GARRISON HALL. 

At 10 o'clock the men mustered in the Garrison Hall, the gallery of which was crowded by the public. The people simply rushed the hall, and the front door had to be closed. The platform was occupied by members of the Recruiting Committee, the Otago Patriotic and General Welfare Association, and the Otago Women's Patriotic Association. Captain Fraser was in charge, and had the assistance of Lieutenant Keligher and a staff of officers. The roll was called while the men were drawn up in lines, and was checked and re-checked to insure accuracy, after which the men were marched, in parties of 20, to the stage, where they received and signed for their kits, the gifts of the Women's Association and the handiwork of many hundreds of women in the city and suburbs. These were made up in brown paper parcels, about 10 inches in length, and as each man received his packet he was handed a label, on which he was requested to write his name and attach it to his kit. 

The Town Hall was gay with bunting. Part of the street immediately opposite the steps was roped off, and a crowd began to gather there shortly after 10 o'clock. Fife and drum bands from the schools brightened the period of waiting with familiar patriotic selections. The Mayor and councillors, and a number of clergymen and others gathered at the top of the steps, where a small platform had been arranged. Ladies of the Patriotic Association passed through the ranks, distributing tins of tobacco to all the men. 

His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. B. Shacklock), addressing the officers and men of the Sixth Reinforcements, said he held in his hand a telegram from the Minister of Defence, in which he stated how very sorry he was that he was not able to be with them that morning. Pressure of business detained him in Wellington, and neither he nor any other member of Cabinet was able to be present. He was there representing the citizens of Dunedin to wish them God-speed in the undertaking on which they were starting. They had heard the call of Empire and of right, and they were now proceeding to take their part in the protection of. the suffering and supporting the good government, not only of our Empire, but of the world. Their duties would be many and onerous, and if these duties were to be thoroughly well carried out then strict discipline must always be observed. When they were away from our shores we wished them to remember the dominion they were leaving, to remember the associations of the past, and to look forward to the time when they would return to rejoin us. We handed to them the honour of our city, and the honour of our dominion, and we knew that they would keep these sacred. In the words of Lord Kitchener, "Keep yourselves fit, thus enabling you successfully to carry out all the duties that many be entrusted to you. Be strong and of good courage." We hoped to see them once more on our shores, and they would leave us with our prayers and our blessings in the very best sense of the word.—(Applause.) 

The Primate, (Bishop Nevill), and Father Coffey also delivered appropriate speeches. 

After the singing of the National Anthem enthusiastic cheers were exchanged between the men and the crowd, and at about 10 minutes to 12 Captain Fraser set the troops in motion again for the railway station. 

Lower Stuart street was packed with people, especially the area in front of the station. Relatives and friends pressed forward to say a final word of farewell, and the general public, in their eagerness to see the departing troopers, encroached upon the space intended for the four-abreast soldiers, and things became somewhat mixed. But it was a good-natured and happy crowd, and the police gave valuable help. Finally the last of the men made his way into the station enclosure, but still the public lingered around the gate and along Athol place to the departure of the train. Ten carriages were in waiting, and nine of these were soon filled with the rollicking, happy band, the other carriage being reserved for the Palmerston and Oamaru contingents. A few minutes after noon all the men were aboard, and the train pulled out, accompanied by the best wishes of the city and a salvo of cheers from a crowd lining the railway fence and others who stood on stacks of timber or similar points of vantage in the vicinity. 

Several of the school bands were on the streets, and added to the enthusiasm of the sendoff with their lively music.  -Otago Daily Times, 26/4/1915.

One of the men receiving a brown paper parcel from the Women's Association that day was Sinclair Beaton.  Sinclair was 23, a labourer living with his parents in Cumberland Street, Dunedin.  He served in the Otago Mounted Rifles as a cook and was later transferred to the NZ Field Artillery in 1916.

Sinclair's military record is not a distinguished one.  He was punished for being AWOL a number of times, for discussing military matters with locals in Hythe, England, for consuming liquor on licensed premises.  His lack of distinction as a soldier might have been the reason for his returning to Dunedin in February, 1918.

“ASSAULT AND BATTER”

WHEN GREEK MEETS AGGRESSOR 

FISH SALOON PATRON DAMAGED 

The world at large knows what happens when Greek meets Greek. What eventuates when an excitable Greek restauranteur is confronted with an aggressive patron was revealed to the City Police Court yesterday. Following on a fight in a fish saloon, when a groper knife, 2ft long, was brandished, and a potful of batter was smashed over the head of an assailant, a man's ear was bitten and his neck scratched, Constantine Soumaras was charged with assaulting Sinclair Allan Beaton, who was ultimately told by the magistrate (Mr H. W. Bundle) that the injuries received by him had been richly deserved. 

Mr C. J. L. White appeared for the complainant Beaton, and Mr B. S. Irwin defended Soumaras, who pleaded not guilty. 

Mr White said that apparently Soumaras had mistaken one of Beaton's companions, Rowe, for another man, and had positively refused to serve Rowe. Beaton followed Soumaras towards the kitchen to demand why he would not serve Rowe. Soumaras picked up a groper knife 2ft long, and tried to stab Beaton. The others heard the scuffle and reached the kitchen in time to see Beaton take the knife from Soumaras, who then picked up a pot containing batter, hitting Beaton on the head with a severe blow, the mark of which was still visible. The batter fell over Soumaras. 

Mr Irwin: The charge should be one of assault and batter! 

Soumaras had clawed Beaton with his fingers, and the complainant had been indeed in a sorry state. The police had been called by Soumaras, who had asked the constable to arrest Beaton, hut the officer had replied that it looked as if the case should be the other way round. 

Complainant, a linesman, said he had been twice previously in Soumaras’s shop, and had met with no trouble. In company with Rowe and Cunningham, he went into the shop. They had had only four drinks between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Soumaras came out quietly, and asked for the order, saying he would serve the two, but not Rowe. He gave no reasons, and would not give an explanation, even when witness said Rowe was a very respectable man. Soumaras had then put both his hands on witness, given him a shove, and declared “You won’t get served either!” 

"With that he picked up the groper knife and made a slash with it,” said complainant. ”I ducked under his arm, the knife came over my shoulder and hit me on the back. I took the knife from him. My friends were then sitting in the saloon. I threw the knife down — foolishly — and he picked up the pan and hit me across the forehead. It was a small enamel pot, containing some batter.” Complainant showed marks from scratches on his neck. His ear had also been bitten. 

Mr White: With what? — I am not too sure whether it was with his teeth. He was biting all the time. 

Was he very excited? — Yes. 

Did he call the police in? — Yes. He wanted the police to arrest me, and the constable told him that he didn't have a leg to stand on. 

Did he tell you you were drunk? —  He never mentioned it. 

Did Soumaras have any marks on himself? — Bar taking the knife from him, I did not put my hand on him. 

Mr Irwin: The police said it was a case of three to one? —  They said no such thing.  

Giving details of the movements after 6 p.m. Beaton said they had yarned in the streets. He denied that he was leaving out any details. 

Why didn’t you go and have your tea before 9 o’clock? — We were arranging a trip for Sunday. 

That seems a little bit stretched. So at 9 o’clock you got hungry! That does not seem true. — That is so. Why wouldn’t I be hungry? 

Perhaps beer is a food as well as a drink. Didn’t a bottle drop in Soumaras’s restaurant? — No. 

Why could not Rowe speak for himself when Soumaras declined to serve him? Was he too far gone? — No. Perhaps it would have been better if we had left, as I would not have been so badly knocked about. I did not go into the kitchen until I saw Soumaras pick up the knife. 

Now, doesn’t it seem strange that a man who keeps a public restaurant should get annoyed over nothing? — I have seen no man more angry. 

The three of you could have trussed him up like a fowl? — The others did not interfere at all. 

Did your mates try to take you out of the shop before the shop incident? — No. I was going to “take to him” after he had hit me with a pot, but they took me away. 

Did you see Soumaras telling a boy to go for the police before any blow was made? — No. I swear that.

James Allen Rowe, an electric linesman, said he had had four long shandies with Beaton. Witness had never seen Soumaras before, yet the restaurant keeper had refused to serve him. “What for?” asked witness, and Beaton then walked across to Soumaras, who pushed Beaton. The pair then went into the kitchen, where there was a scuffle. Witness went to the door and saw Beaton trying to take the knife from Soumaras. He saw no pot. 

Mr Irwin: Nor did you feel it. Witness said he saw only the knife incident. There had been no language used.

Mr Irwin: Why didn’t you go away? — I did not have time. Many a man won’t serve you. 

The Magistrate: What do you mean by that.

Witness: If you are intoxicated they refuse to serve you. Under cross-examination witness admitted having been convicted for a breach of the peace thirteen years ago, but he denied having been convicted of using obscene language. No bottled liquor was purchased at the hotel. 

Mr Irwin: Now what were you doing between between 6 and 9? Don’t you have tea? — Many a time a fellow does not go home for tea when he is talking to his cobbers about a fishing expedition.

Mr Irwin: But it is a dry and hungry job talking to friends at the street corner for three hours.

John William Robert Cunningham, also a linesman, said he had drank four shandies with Rowe and Beaton, whose versions of the incidents he corroborated. Beaton was covered with blood after the altercation. 

To Mr Irwin: Soumaras had mentioned something about a bottle of stout, but they had not left it in the kitchen.

Mr Irwin submitted that the prosecution’s evidence was not the truth of the happenings. The men had not overstated the amount of liquor consumed, of course, but they had narrowed the quantity down to four shandies each. Whether Soumaras’s opinion of Rowe was night or wrong did not matter, as a shopkeeper had a right to select his customers. Beaton had no reason to demand an explanation. Although he would not say the man had any intention of using it, Soumaras declared that Beaton picked up the knife. The wrange in the kitchen lasted for twenty minutes. All allegations about the knife were fudge put in by the men to save their employment. Beaton, who was wrong in taking charge of the place, had received no more or less than he was entitled to. Soumaras was excitable, and had hit the man to keep him back when aggressiveness was shown by the other members of the party.

Given a start with several questions by Mr Irwin, Soumaras related the incidents at a terrific speed. Mr White asked if defendant was excitable, and Mr Irwin interjected, “You certainly seem to have succeeded in making him excited.” Sonmaras’s version was that he had declined to serve Rowe because he was staggering. Cunningham was sober. Beaton had followed him into the kitchen, and had called him ‘‘all de names on de earth, and de .... who fry de egg in de olive oil.” For about twenty minutes Beaton insulted him and caused trouble, but defendant had not sworn. He had tried to keep Beaton quiet, as women were passing his shop. Beaton had picked up the groper knife, and defendant had caught his hand and then smacked Beaton over the head with the pot. Rowe was the gentleman of the party; he had several times endeavored to get Beaton to leave the saloon. He, defendant, did not bite Beaton.

The Magistrate: I have heard quite enough of this case. 

The “remarkable uniformity” of the three witnesses for the prosecution as to the number of drinks and their movements between 5.30 and 8.15 was commented on by Mr Bundle. After hearing the evidence, he had no doubts that Soumaras was absolutely justified in refusing to serve Rowe. The subsequent trouble was due entirely to Beaton, who richly deserved any injuries he had received. The charge would be dismissed, with costs (£1 1s) against Beaton.  -Evening Star, 20/3/1928.

Around and About The Courts

WHEN you see in an hotel bar a person who, you consider, owes you a sum of money, is it opportune for you to jolt his memory? It may be. But from what was heard in the Dunedin Police Court the other day it is not always advisable. Charged before Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., Sinclair Allan Beaton and Charles Robert Kerr were convicted for disorderly behavior in the bar of the Carlton Hotel. Beaton pleaded guilty, but Kerr disputed the charge. After hearing evidence, in which it was stated that, meeting Kerr in the bar, Beaton accosted him and asked for a refund of money he alleged was owing to him for a little period of seventeen years, which quiet "reminder" led to Kerr abusing Beaton and the latter retaliating with a blow, his Worship fined Kerr 10/-, with witness's and court costs 33/-, and Beaton was fined 20/- with .13/- court costs.  -NZ Truth, 25,7,1929.

INQUEST.

ELECTRIC LINESMAN’S DEATH. 

The inquest concerning the death of Sinclair Allan Beaton, who was electrocuted at Maungatua last Wednesday, was continued before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner, at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon. Sergeant Vaughan represented the police. Mr.W. T. Taylor appeared for. the relatives of the deceased, and Mr A. W. Haggitt for the City Corporation. 

Dr Shaw stated that he was a medical practitioner at Mosgiel. On December 4 he received a call from Dr Wylie to attend an accident at Maungatua. On arrival he found the deceased lying by the side of the road, and two of the linesmen were applying artificial respiration. He advised keeping up the respiration. He examined the heart and chest. There was no sign of the heart beating, and he considered it was a hopeless case from the moment he saw the man. The men about seemed to have done everything they could, and carried on while he was there. There were no signs of burns on the deceased, nor were there marks of violence on the body. The cause of death was asphyxiation, through coming in contact with a high electric current. 

Robert Baxter Neil, linesman, employed by the City Corporation, stated that on December 4 he was engaged running wire to the Maungatua Dairy Factory. Witness explained the nature of the work from a model. After a time witness saw a flash along the line. At the same time the deceased said "Look out for the wire.” The deceased fell. Artificial respiration was carried on by Milne after the deceased had stopped breathing, and everything that could possibly be done was done. Witness examined the wires afterwards, and found a “pit” about an inch and a-half long, seared or discoloured for a distance of 8ft or 10ft. showing that the wire came in contact with something. 

To Mr Taylor: The voltage on the wires was 35,000 volts, and 22,000 to earth. He considered that there were sufficient men on the job. He had not asked for more men. He would do the same job to-morrow with the same number of men, but he did not say he would do it in exactly the same way. He would use tackles, which would have saved the men in pulling up. It was usual to supply rubber goloshes. There were rubber gloves in his car. 

To Mr Haggitt: The deceased was a very experienced man. The City Corporation was particularly anxious that rubber gloves and goloshes should be renewed when required. A man of the deceased’s experience would know when to use these and when not. William Leslie Milne corroborated what the last witness had said up to a certain point. 

In reply to Mr Taylor he said they realised that they had not enough men on the job. An additional man should have been watching the line as it was pulled up. Four hundred yards was too long a span without someone watching. It could have been done with a block and tackle, which was often used. There was a fair wind blowing at the time of the accident. 

To Mr Haggitt: Witness spoke to the deceased before the accident about having another man, and the deceased agreed. Witness meant that another man was needed, because it was heavy work, not because it was dangerous. The deceased did not say that he thought it was particularly dangerous. Probably if he had he would have put on goloshes. 

Matthew Copeland Henderson, city electrical engineer, in the course of his evidence, stated that with regard to another man being required, that was left to the man in charge. The men had already pulled up two coils of the same length, and had had no accident. If they thought it was dangerous they had only to say so, and it could have been left over, and the transmission line cut out altogether. That was often done in the case of dangerous work. He commented on the fact that none of the men wore gloves. His opinion was that even with a block and tackle the accident would still have happened. He admitted that an extra man might have watched the wire. 

The coroner said it was a case of pure misadventure. The evidence showed that the wire must have got into a hitch, jerked up, and come into contact with the high tension wire, five feet overhead, the deceased receiving a bad shock. A suggestion has been made that an extra man should have been employed, but the deceased was an experienced linesman, and neither he nor the others seemed to have been apprehensive of danger at all. No one had gloves on. It was quite obvious that they did not apprehend any danger. An extra man having a view of the wire at the time could have seen if it became caught. These men were experienced men and conditions were laid down for the way the work was to be carried out. The work seemed to have been carried out in the usual manner by men of experience. It might have been an additional safeguard if a man had been appointed to watch the wire, but it did not follow that the accident would not have happened. The verdict would be that death was due to asphyxia following accidental contact with a high-tension electrical current. -Otago Daily Times, 10/12/1929.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.