DIAMOND WEDDING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 285, 2 November 1939, Page 12

DIAMOND WEDDING.

MR AND MRS W. T. WOOD

Mr W. J. Wood, of Palmerston North, and Mr and Mrs H. 1 (1 . Wood, of Wellington, attended the diamond wedding celebrations of their father and mother, Mr and Mrs W. T. Wood, in Sydney, on August 14. Letters, telegrams and cables of congratulation were received by Mr and Mrs Wood, eenr.. including a cable from the King and Queen, and others from Lord and Lady Cowrie, Sir Michael Myers (Chief Justice of New Zealand and then acting Administrator in the absence of the Governor-General, Lord Galway), Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage (Prime Minister of New Zealand), and members of the Seddon family. When Mr Wood was a member of the New Zealand Parliament, lie was an enthusiastic supporter of the then Premier, Mr R. J. Seddon.

A dinner for CO guests was attended by 6ix of Mr and Mrs Wood’s eight children and three grandchildren. Ono of the granddaughters, little Betty Samuel, was dressed like the original bridesmaid, wearing a pink crinoline taffeta frock and carrying an Early Victorian posy. Mrs Wood wore a wine-coloured georgette frock and coat, and her “wedding” bouquet was of carnations, violets and lily of the valley. The children present were Mr W. J. Wood, Messrs H. E. Wood, Dick Wood, and Mesdames D. Ashton, Victor Samuel, and C. Linden, also William Samuel and Keroi Ashton, two grandsons. Mr and Mrs Wood, senr., previously resided in Palmerston North, where Mr Wood was Mayor and Member of Parliament for many years. They are both very well-known throughout New Zealand. Mr Wood represented Palmerston North on the Wellington Harbour Board, the Wanganui Education Board and the Palmerston North High School Board ; was a foundation member of Masonic, Druids and Oddfellows’ Lodges in Palmerston North; and was president of the A. and P. Association, the Manawatu Racing Club, and the Palmerston North Operatic Society and the Palmerston North j Brass Band. j Mr Wood was Rt. TTon. R. J. | Scddon’s first chairman when Air Sod- j don stood for civic honours on the j West Coast. Mr Wood is now 86 : years of age. j Mrs Wood also played an important j part in the development of Palmerston ! North. While she was Mayoress she collected subscriptions to start the Palmerston North Hospital, was in- j strumental in raising funds for the Post Office chimes and town clock, and helped toward the establishment of the Old Peoples’ Home.