OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 22956, 13 May 1938, Page 8

OBITUARY

HR A. CRUICKSHANK A former superintendent of police and police commissioner in Samoi Sir Alexander Cruickshank, died on Wed'* nesday last in Auckland. Mr shank was born in Banffshire, Scotland, in 1856, and spent his boyhood days with the herring fishing fleet. At the age of 18 he joined the City of Glasgow, police, resigning after a few years’ service. He cam© to New Zealand in 1873 in the sailing ship Waitara, landing at Bluff. The following year he joined th« armed constabulary as a trooper, and was stationed at Lawrence, where h« was engaged in connection with gold transport between Tuapeka and Lawrence. Subsequently he was transferred to Dunedin, where he served as courn orderly. For many years he was a constable in charge at Lower Hutt, and in 1901 he was promoted to sergeant in charge at Dannevirke. Promoted to sub-inspector _in 1915, Mr Cruickshank was stationed at Napier, Dunedin, and Timaru. In the same year he rose, to the rank of inspector, and was stationed at Auckland. A year later he was transferred to Greymouth, where he was in charge of tha district. In 1921 he was promoted to the rank of superintendent, and retired in the same year on reaching the age or 65 years. On his retirement he visited Scotland, but returned to the Dominion to accept an appointment as commissioner of police at Samoa, He served in this position from 1922 to 1926. A! capable and kindly officer, he was extremely popular with both the. jpubha and members of the force. He is survived by three daughters and one son. MR ROBERT G. M'BEATH Mr Robert Gillespie M'Beath, who passed away on Sunday last, was at native of this city. Educated at tha Hope Street School, he afterwards entered into the service of Messrs Neill and Co., and later joined his father in business, remaining with him until 1916, when he enlisted for active service at the war. Invalided home in 1918, Mr M'Beath was in hospital for some years recovering from his war injuries, after which he represented Messrs R. Wilson and Co., Wellington, in both islands of the Dominion oven a long period. Mr M'Beath was a well-known figure in Dunedin, and had many friends. He was a member of the Celtic Masonic Lodge, 'as well as of the Returned Soldiers’ Association and the Commercial Travellers’ Association. He was the third son of tha late Mr and Mrs William M'Beath, of Dunedin, and is survived by one brother, Mr William M'Beath, of Dunedin, and three sisters—Miss E, M'Beath and Mrs E. S. Wilson of Dunedin, and Mrs A, W. Nicholson, of Auckland.