She carried a large administrative load at the Royal Society and correctly predicted that upon her retirement, she would be replaced by five people; those five positions were established within three years of her departure.

She was christened as Susan Selina Wood at the Anglican St Peter's Church in Caversham.

At the subsequent 1931 annual general meeting, Thomson moved that Wood's title be changed to the secretary.

When Wood attended a committee meeting, taking notes on the request of Aston, Cockayne asked: "What is SHE doing here?"

Wood never forgave him and late in life noted that: "Despite all his honours he was the rudest man I ever met.

"[1] The New Zealand Institute had to move from the wooden Dominion Museum as the Public Works Department would not allow further bookshelves to be installed over a concern of excessive weight.

There were great difficulties separating the libraries and when Wood relocated to the Hunter Building on 6 June 1923, much of the work was still to be done.

Wood completed the remaining work practically by herself and showed "competent energy and determination".

The society's council arranged for six months' paid leave and a NZ£500 bonus, perhaps in recognition that she did not have a superannuation scheme but also as an acknowledgement that she had been employed "for a pittance".

Charles Fleming, who was president when she retired and who later wrote her obituary, said that there was no prospect of employing somebody on similar terms.

[1][7] Wood carried a large administrative burden at the Royal Society, with the meetings of the council a particularly busy period.

Exhausted after one of those meetings, she once exclaimed to the assistant librarian: "When I leave this job, you mark my words, five people will replace me.

[8] When Wood came to Wellington, she first lived in Lyall Bay and in 1920, she moved to Eastbourne, New Zealand, where she remained for the rest of her life.

[13] The September 1941 show was attended by Cyril Newall, who earlier that year had been appointed governor-general of New Zealand.

[1][15] In 1939, Wood became joint secretary when an Eastbourne group was formed to arrange the local contribution towards the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial.

[1] In the 1963 New Year Honours, she was appointed member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services as secretary of the Royal Society of New Zealand.