He was also president and vice-president of the Adelaide Working Men's Patriotic Association and a Primitive Methodist preacher.
Shortly after his election, he faced allegations of having engaged in bigamy when a son from a previous marriage in England arrived in South Australia.
[10][11] Wood opposed the drinking of alcohol, and attempted on several occasions to abolish the bar in Parliament House.
[12][13] Wood contested the inaugural 1901 federal election as a Free Trade Party candidate, but was comfortably defeated.
[14][15] Adelaide magazine The Critic summarised Wood's 1901 federal platform as "revenue tariff on Freetrade lines, old age pensions, uniform franchise, white Australia".