William Thomas Wood

William Thomas Wood
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Palmerston
In office 1902–1908
Preceded by	Frederick Pirani
Succeeded by	David Buick
9th Mayor of Palmerston North
In office 1895–1899
Preceded by	William Park
Succeeded by	Henry Haydon
In office 1901–1903
Preceded by	George Matthew Snelson
Succeeded by	Charles Dunk
Personal details
Born	1854
Died	1923
Political party	Liberal Party
Profession	Blacksmith

William Thomas Wood (1854–1923) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

Political career

Local politics

Wood was active in local body politics. He was elected councillor on the Palmerston North Borough in 1884, 1885–1887, 1892–1895 and again in 1901. He was Mayor of Palmerston North from 1895–1899, and again from 1901–1903.^[1][2][3]

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1902–1905	15th	Palmerston		Liberal
1905–1908	16th	Palmerston		Liberal

Wood was endorsed by Prime Minister Richard Seddon as the government candidate for the Palmerston (now Palmerston North) electorate in the 1899 general election, a measure by which Seddon demonstrated his opposition to Frederick Pirani. Pirani won the Palmerston electorate that year,^[4] but unsuccessfully contested the 1902 election in the Hutt electorate.^[5]

Wood won the Palmerston electorate in the 1902 general election, was re-elected in 1905, but in 1908 he was defeated by the Reform candidate David Buick.^[6]

He later retired to Australia and died there.

References

1. Matheson, Ian Roderick (2003). "Palmerston North Borough and City Councillors". Council and community: 125 years of local government in Palmerston North 1877-2002. pp. 91–97. ISBN 0-473-09340-5.
2. "1890s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 Feb 2010.
3. "1900s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 Feb 2010.
4. Oliver, Steven (22 June 2007). "Pirani, Frederick 1858 - 1926". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
5. "Untitled". The Evening Post. LXIV (131). 29 November 1902. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
6. Wilson, J. O. (1985). New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: Government Printer.