John Woods (Australian politician)

John Woods (5 November 1822 – 2 April 1892) was a politician in colonial Victoria (Australia), Minister of Railways.

[1] After being trained as an engineer, he was employed in Canada and England; and landed in Melbourne in 1852, after a chequered experience at the Ovens, M'Ivor, Goulburn, Ararat and Fiery Creek diggings, during which he was a prominent exponent of miners' rights.

Whilst out of Parliament, from 1865 to 1870, Woods entered the Government service, and was in charge of the works at the Malmesbury reservoir, when he was summarily dismissed on an allegation, into which inquiry was refused, that he had connived at some laches on the part of the contractors.

[3] Woods took office as Minister of Railways in the first Graham Berry Government in August 1875, and made some sweeping changes in the tariff of charges.

[3] Woods died in Brighton, Melbourne, Victoria on 2 April 1892 and was buried in Boroondara General Cemetery.