DEATH OF MR THOMAS BAYLY, OF WAIPARA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9208, 9 October 1891, Page 2

DEATH OF MR THOMAS BAYLY, OF WAI TARA.

The announcement of the death of Mr Thomas Bayly was received on Thursday with a deop and widespread feeling of regret in New Plymouth, for there are few in Taranaki more widely known or more generally respected than the deceased gentleman. Mr T. Bayly came from an ol 1 and respectable stock of West of England yeomen. He was born at North Tamaton, in Cornwall, England, in 1832, and came out to New Plymouth in the Amolia Thompson in 1841 (then a boy about nine years of age) with his parents. His father went to reside at Kaipakopjko, wh re the late Mr Thomas Bayly passed the early days of his life. On growing to man's estate ho went into farming life, taking up land in the TaUraimaka district. On the war breaking out iv 1 860 Mr Bayly was obliged to leave his farm, and took part with others in attempting to subdue tho natives. He with his brothers also entered into contracts for supplying: the troops »vith meat. He afterwards went to Wanganui, and resided there for several years. In 1876 ho returned to Taranaki, and, purchasing land at Waitara, has resided there over aince. Mr Thomas Bayly was a shrewd man of business, and by his land speculations in the early dayß made large sums of money. He always took a great interest in local affairs, and for many years was Chairman of the Waitara Harbor Board, the Raleigh Town Board, a member of tho Taranaki and Clifton County Councils, and connected in ono way or tho other with several local enterprises. He was a large landholder, possessing extensivo tracts of country at White Cliffs, Mimi, Waitara, and in tho back country; and a couple of years since he sold a large portion of the Toko Block, near Stratford. He was amongst the first who started tho dairy factory system in this district, and has two factories now at wo.-k at East and West Wa'.tara; ho was instrumental by his enterprise in getting the Freezing Works erected; and has been connected with every steam company that has had vessels trading to Waitara. He also on one or two occasions stood as a candidate for a soat in the House of Representatives. Ho held the commission as Justice of tho Peace, and often presided in the Waitara Resident Magistrate's Court. Those who have known Mr T- Baj'ly a little can bear witness to h r s uniform kindness of manner ; those who know him better can testify that those external qualities proceeded from something which lay deeper — from unselfishness, from generosity, from genuine good nature, from a true kindness of heart. Mr Bayly was an active member of the Sir Donald McLean Lodge of Freemasons, and. was connected with other social institutions in Waitara. There are many who will miss his helping hand now he has gone from amongst them, for he was ever ready to aid others, not only with his advice, which, from one of his experience, was valuable, but with his money also. He earned for himself the character of being an able and honorable man of business, and will be missed much at Waitara, as well aa at New Plymouth, where he is known so well. The natives, whom lie ever befriended, are showing their grief at his demise, for on the day of his death, we learn, a number of them visited the house of mourning to take a last view of the mortal remains of one they esteemed so much, and as they retired from the chamber of the dead exclamations in Maori of " He waa a good man " were repeatedly uttered. His health for some months has not been good, as he was suffering from a complication of diseases, and finally he passed away on Thursday morning at about ten o'clock. He leaves a wife and grown up family of nine sons and two daughters to mourn the loss of a kind and affectionate husband and father. His sons are all settled on land in different parts of the district, and one of tb c daughters is married to Roy. Mr 1 lathers, a Wesley.in minister stationed at Auckland. Tho deceased will bo buried in the Honui Cemetery, and the funeral cortege will leavo Waitara at neon tomorrow, and is oxpected to arrive in town bet\j&een two and three o'clock.