PINKERTON, DAVID (1836-1906) was born at Kirknewton, Edinburghshire; received his education in the parish, partly under Dr John Hislop (q.v.), and was apprenticed to bootmaking. He emigrated to Otago in the Lady Egidia in 1861, spent a short time at the diggings and then settled in Dunedin at his trade, which he followed as journeyman and employer until 1890.

He took a deep interest and had much success in the settlement of disputes by conciliation. In 1889 he was a member of the anti-sweating committee (of which A. Bathgate and Stout were also members). He assisted to draw up the log for the tailoresses union, of which he was president in its second and third years. He took a keen interest in the proposal (which failed for lack of funds) to found a convalescent home for tailoresses. He was active also in the bootmakers' union, and was for three years president of the Otago Trades and Labour Council.

In 1890 Pinkerton was elected at the head of the poll to represent the City of Dunedin in Parliament, his colleagues being Hutchison and Fish. The defeated candidates included J. Allen and A. Lee Smith. In 1893 he was again at the head of the poll, with Earnshaw and Hutchison as colleagues. In Parliament Pinkerton was chairman of the labour bills committee. He was defeated in 1896 (along with Hutchison, Begg and Earnshaw), the successful candidates being M. J. S. Mackenzie, J. A. Millar and Fish. Two months later he was appointed to the Legislative Council (in which he sat until his death). Here also he was a capable chairman of the labour bills committee until his sight failed.

Pinkerton was a member of the Otago Harbour Board for three years and of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition committee (1889-90). For some time he held the position of district chief ranger in the order of Oddfellows. He died on 23 Jun 1906.

N.Z.P.D., 28 Jun 1906; Paul, Trades Unionism; Otago Daily Times, 25 Jun 1906. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 87

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