Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a grandstand erected on private property overlooking a sports arena in which seats are available cheaply.

1973		Dominion (Wellington) 2 Sept. 17: The dismantling of the last big ‘Scotsman’s grand-stand’ beside Eden Park on Saturday in accordance with a Court order. But many people still watched the rugby test from the stand in Mrs Monica O’Sullivan’s back garden [DNZE].
1979		S. Zavos After the Final Whistle 103: The crowd was in good humour, and even people in the luxurious Scotsmen’s grandstands that circled the ground were relaxed and good-humoured [DNZE].
1986		L. Knight Shield Fever 49: For this match [i.e. Otago v. Southland] 35,000 people crammed into Carisbrook with plenty more standing in the ‘Scotsmen’s Stand’ on the high hills overlooking the ground [DNZE].
1993		Sun. Times (Wellington) 11 July 41: The Scotsman’s grandstand will still be there-and there will be the ultimate Scotsman’s grandstand, a stationary train overlooking the ground [DNZE].
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 180: Scotchman’s/Scotsman’s grandstand Non-paying view of a sporting event, often from advantageously placed building or foliage. Sometimes the controller of the unofficial stand will charge a fee for its use.

2. a vantage point that allows people to watch an event, usu. sporting, for free.

1979		(ref. to 1958) Maledicta III:2 172: Scotsman’s zoon [Porter 1958] Position from which all or part of zoo can be seen without paying an admission fee.
2003		see sense 1.

(N.Z.) a two-shilling (10p) coin.

1970

O. Sansom Stewart Islanders 125: The bottles were labelled ‘Pennies’, ‘Church Mice’ (that was the threepence), [...] and ‘Scotsmans Half-Crown’ (the florin).

(N.Z.) a round of drinks in which everyone pays for their own (cf. Yankee shout under yankee n.¹ ).

1941		N.Y. Herald Trib. 29 June 9/2: If you want to buy a friend a drink, you say, ‘I’ll shout you to a drink.’ If he buys you one, he ‘shouts,’ and if you both pay for your own it’s a Yankee or Scotsman’s shout.
1942		Holland & Lilienthal Meet the Anzacs 14: Scotchman’s shout: Dutch treat [DNZE].
1972		B. Wannan Folklore of the Aus. Pub 129: Shout, Scotchman’s: paying for one’s own drinks when in company at a pub.
1999		G. Seal Lingo 134: A related term is a scotchman’s shout, used of someone who only buys his own drinks when in company.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 180: Scotchman’s/Scotsman’s shout Entertainment paid for by parties indulging, though they wouldna object if you paid more than your share.