John Joseph Woods

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John Woods (1849–1934) was a New Zealand teacher and songwriter. He composed the music for the New Zealand national anthem God Defend New Zealand, winning aprize of 10 guineas in a competition to set Thomas Bracken's words to music. At the time, he was employed as a teacher in the Otago town of Lawrence.

BORN IN TASMANIA IN 1849. SUCH WERE HIS MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HE COULD PLAY 12 INSTRUMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE VIOLIN. ALSO AN ACKNOWLEDGED EXPERT ON DAFFODILS, HIS UNIQUE COLLECTION OF OVER 300 VARIETIES INCLUDED SOME RARE SPECIMENS.

WOODS BECAME TUAPEKA COUNTY’S LONGEST SERVING TOWN CLERK FROM JAN 1877 TO HIS RETIREMENT OCT 1931 WHEN HE WAS MADE CONFIDENTIAL ADVISER TO COUNCIL. HE WAS WELL RESPECTED FOR THE EFFICIENCY, INTEGRITY AND DEVOTION TO DUTY HE BROUGHT TO THE POST.