Thomas William Rhodes  Thomas William Rhodes (25 April 1860 – 30 August 1944) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, then the Reform Party. He changed his affiliation to the Reform Party in 1915. Rhodes was born in Parnell. In 1887, he founded the "Coromandel Country News". He represented the Thames electorate from 1911 to 1928, when he retired. He was Mayor of Thames from 1923 to 1927. In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. Rhodes died at his home in 11 St Mary's Street, Wellington, on 30 August 1944, aged 84. He was cremated on 1 September 1944 at the Karori Crematorium.