Reader Wood


Reader Gilson Wood was a 19th-century New Zealand politician.

Biography

Wood, the son of Thomas and Sarah Wood, was baptised at the Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester, Leciestershire, England, on 5 January 1821. He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, London. He was brought up as an architect, and shortly after his articles had expired left England for New Zealand, arriving in Auckland in 1844. The northern insurrection breaking out in the following year, Wood was made lieutenant of Volunteer Artillery, and was present at the attempted storming of Heke's pā at Ohaeawai on 1 July 1845. He was mentioned in Colonel Despard's despatch describing that disastrous affair. After the war Wood returned to Auckland, where he practised his profession of architect and surveyor. About 1848 he was employed by the Government as Inspector of Roads, afterwards he was appointed Deputy Surveyor-General, which office he retained until 1856. He was tasked with the design of the General Assembly House, which was built in 1854 in Auckland as New Zealand's first meeting house for parliament.
Wood was the Member of Parliament for Parnell from 1861 to 1865, then to 1878 ; then for Waitemata from to 1881, when he retired.
He was a cabinet minister, including the positions of Minister of Finance twice, and Minister of Defence. He was part of the Auckland wing of the Liberal Party, sometimes called the "Auckland Rats".
He stood in the in the electorate and was defeated by Richard Monk.
On 20 May 1850, he married Mary Jane Holland at St Paul's Church, Auckland's oldest Anglican church. He died at his home in Parnell, Auckland, on 20 August 1895, leaving his widow and one son, and was buried at St Stephen's Cemetery, Parnell. He was survived by one son.