William Thomas Wood was a Liberal Party

New Zealand Liberal Party

The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...

 Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

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

Mayor of Palmerston North

The Mayor of Palmerston North is the head of the municipal government of Palmerston North, New Zealand, and presides over the Palmerston North City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...

 from 1895–1899, and again from 1901-1903.

Wood was endorsed by Prime Minister

Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...

 Richard Seddon

Richard Seddon

Richard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....

 as the government candidate for the Palmerston (now Palmerston North) seat in the 1899 general election

New Zealand general election, 1899

The New Zealand general election of 1899 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 14th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 373,744 voters turned out to...

, a measure by which Seddon demonstrated his opposition to Frederick Pirani

Frederick Pirani

Frederick Pirani was a New Zealand politician. He was Member of the House of Representatives for Palmerston from 1893 to 1902, first as a Liberal, then as an Independent. He was part of the Liberal Party's "left" wing.-Early life:Pirani was born in Melbourne, Australia, and his family emigrated...

. Pirani narrowly won the seat that year, but had to retire at the end of the term due to ill health. Wood then won the Palmerston seat in the 1902 general election

New Zealand general election, 1902

The New Zealand general election of 1902 was held on Tuesday, 25 November in the general electorates, and on Monday, 22 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 15th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

, was re-elected in 1905

New Zealand general election, 1905

The New Zealand general election of 1905 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 16th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

, but in 1908

New Zealand general election, 1908

The New Zealand general election of 1908 was held on Tuesday, 17 November, 24 November and 1 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 2 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 17th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

 he was defeated by the Reform

New Zealand Reform Party

The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...

 candidate David Buick

David Buick (New Zealand)

David Buick was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party.He represented the Manawatu electorate of Palmerston from 1908 to 1918, when he died.-Further reading:...

.