The first actual collision with the natives occurred in July, 1842, and the incident is so important that it may well be told in Mr. Wicksteed's words. Writing to Colonel Wakefield, he says: “You are aware that a considerable number of natives have lately been liberated from the Waikatos, who, some years ago, over-ran the Taranaki district, and carried off a large number of its inhabitants as their slaves. The manumitted natives are now returning to this district, and not having been parties in the sale of the land to the Company, now complain that they have neither potato ground, nor utu in money or recompense. In point of fact, however, the native reserves are sufficient for a population twenty fold larger than that likely under any circumstances to belong to Taranaki; and I cannot discover among the malcontents a single person who, according to the custom of the natives, has, or had, the right to sell the land. On the contrary, many of those who did sell the land distinctly warned me not to enter into any bargain or treaty with those returned. Not being encouraged by me to expect any utu, some of these natives had recourse to violence, and entered a section on the Mangaoraka, belonging to a peaceful settler named Pearce, burned his cottage, and destroyed some raupo he had for thatching. They then proceeded to the next section where Messrs Bayly had put up their tents, and were commencing farming operations. They were very furious, brandishing their tomahawks, and attempting to tear down the tent; but the Baylys, very resolute and strong men, resisted, and a short scuffle or wrestling match ensued between one of the brothers and a native, who acted as champion for the assailants. Twice Bayly threw the Maori, but was thrown himself the third time; whereupon the natives crowded round him, and one apparently was going to cleave his skull with a tomahawk, when a bystander levelled his fowling-piece at the native, who then gave way. There were about thirty natives and six white men. A parley ensued, and they agreed to refer the case to me. Accordingly the mob of natives came to my house two days after, and there I told them my determination to put the white settlers on their land, and to call upon the police magistrate to send any native who broke the peace into prison.

Thomas and Susannah's children:

1 Eizabeth May Bayly bapt: 12 Aug 1830 in North Tamerton, Devon; d: 1849; Age: 20Y at New Plymouth

2 Thomas Bayly was b: 29 Jan 1832 in North Tamerton, Devon and was 9 years old on arrival in 1841 at New Plymouth - later the family moved to  Kaipakopjko - here Thomas passed the early days of his life. He took up land at Tataraimaka and on 5th Feb 1855 mar: at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, New Plymouth. Anne Rundle who was b: 22 Dec 1833 in Cornwall (Her family - parents Richard and Ann Rundle also travelled on the "Amelia Thompson") and was highly respected throughout North Taranaki, especially in and around Waitara, where for so many years she had her home She d: 14th Apr 1919 aged 83Y.

The outbreak of the Taranaki war in 1860 compelled Thomas to leave his farm and join the Militia with other settlers to help to subdue the uprising and with his brothers also entered into contracts for supplying meat to the troops. He was in the Wanganui district for some years after and in 1876 returned to Taranaki purchasing land at Waitara where he lived for 15 years until his death on Oct 8th, 1891 aged 59Y.

Thomas Bayly was a shrewd man of business and his land speculations in the early days 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 the Taranaki and Clifton County Councils, and was connected with several local enterprises. He became a large landholder, possessing extensive tracts of country at White Cliffs, Mimi, Waitara, and in the back country and, just before his death sold a large portion of the Toko Block, near Stratford. He was amongst the first who started the dairy factory system in this district, and the two factories were at East and West Waitara. He was instrumental by his enterprise in getting the Freezing Works erected; and had been connected with every steam company with vessels trading to Waitara. On several occasions he stood as a candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives. He held the commission as Justice of tho Peace, and often presided in the Waitara Resident Magistrate's Court. His uniform kindness of manner were qualities stemming from genuine good nature and true kindness of heart. Thomas was an active member of the Sir Donald McLean Lodge of Freemasons, and. was connected with other social institutions in Waitara.  He earned for himself the character of being an able and honorable man of business, and was sorely missed at Waitara, as well as in New Plymouth, where he was well known so well. The natives, whom he befriended, demonstrated their grief at his demise, for on the day of his death, a number 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 was a good man" were repeatedly uttered. Thomas's death followed some months of declining health and he left a wife and grown up family of nine surviving sons and two daughters to mourn the loss of a kind and affectionate husband and father. Their Children:

3 William Bayly: b: 08 Apr 1834 in Devon,  like most of the early settlers Mr Bayly followed farming and dealing pursuits. When the Maori rebellion broke out, William with the other settlers served under Major Brown, taking his share in the defence of his adopted home. At the battle of Waireka, on March 28th, 1860, he received a bullet in his shoulder, which was never extracted and which he carried to his dying day - for his services he received the New Zealand war medal. On the conclusion of the war, Mr. Bayly bought a farm at Stony River, and made a trip to Great Britain and the Continent, going by the old Panama route and on his return, in 1870, established himself as a farmer and grazier. During the troublesome time of Te Whiti's ploughing mania, between 1879 and 1881, he was captain of the Okato Rifle Volunteers on the Frontier. His Stony River farm contained about 710 acres; and he also had 1900 acres at Warea, 570 acres at Rahotu, and 306 acres at Waiwakaiho. In 1878 he started a butchering business in New Plymouth, and had no less than three shops —the Central, West End, and East End Meat Bazaars. Being a big land owner in north Taranaki, especially in the Okato, Warea, aud Rahotu districts, William  was able to fatten stock for his own shops. He took an active interest in local politics and bcame the fourth Mayor of New Plymouth taking office on the 21st of December in 1881, until the 17th of December, 1884. In 1886, he again became Mayor, and held office till the 19th of December, 1888. During his term, he took great interest in completion of the waterworks and devoted much attention to the finances of the borough and readjustment led to a considerable saving. William served on the Harbour Board and in other ways advanced the welfare of the district, was president and vice-president of the Taranaki Jockey Club, and took a great interest in all athletic matters. He contributed to the success of the Moturoa Freezing Works in 1895 as a shareholder and director and in 1901 the province's dairy companies purchased the company and established the Taranaki Producers' Freezing Works Company Ltd. Ill health from asthma was to confine William Bayly to his residence, Te Marama, Bell Block until his death on 6th July 1902 aged 68Y.                                                       (Newspaper report - 30 Oct 1858)

4 Ann Bayly was born 1837 North Tamerton, Devon.  She d: 1st Jun 1920 in New Plymouth. In 1871 she mar: James Brown Lawson a native of Scotland who was b: 1831 and arrived in Taranaki about 1851. He was for some years clerk to Mr Ritchie, solicitor, of the Magistrate's Court and Registrar of the Supreme Court. During the war Mr Lawson held the position of Quartermaster-Sergeant in the Taranaki Militia and later Mr Lawson was appointed Clerk to the Superintendent of the Province and then to the Provincial Council and on the abolition of the provinces in 1875 he was appointed Clerk to the Taranaki County Council, a position he held for a long term of years. He was retired at Inglewood and d: in railway accident on 30 Aug 1901 aged 70; Bur: Te Henui Cemetery.  Their children:

i Hamilton Douglas* Lawson (b: 1873 New Plymouth; d: 1910 aged 37Y at New Plymouth, bur: Te Henui Cem.)

ii Percy Sempill Lawson (b: 1876 New Plymouth, d: 7 Dec 1921 Auckland) Mar: 1905 to May Baker Gabb; their infant son Percy d: 12 Sep 1905, bur: Te Henui Cem.

iii Jessie Glover Lawson (b: 1880 New Plymouth, d: 1969) mar 1904 James Clement  Webster (b; abt 1886; d: 1950)

5 Isaac Bayly was b: 1840 in Holsworthy, Devon, the third son of Thomas Bayly and was born on the borders of Cornwall and Devon, England, and was brought to New Zealand as an infant, in the ship “Amelia Thompson”. Isaac Bayly mar: 19 Mar 1870 at the home of the bride's parents James and Hannah Dingle, New Plymouth to Hannah Veale Dingle. She was b: 1842 and died: 1940 in Auckland

Isaac worked on farms for some years in North Taranaki before moving to the Hawera district, for eighteen years where he took an interest in connection with the work of local bodies and was chairman of the Hawera County Council from 1884 -1889, and for about twelve years following was at the Mahia Peninsula, about forty miles out of Gisborne, Poverty Bay. He was appointed JP 1878 and visited England -first in 1879, when he journeyed by way of San Francisco and New York, to Liverpool; and again in 1902, when he travelled by Cape Horn and Monte Video, returning by the Cape of Good Hope and Hobart. He still retained his interests in the Gisborne district, but after his last trip to England, he and wife Hannah settled in New Plymouth where he  represented the district of Grey and Bell for four years in the Taranaki Provincial Council. A member of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, he was also known amongst flockowners as a breeder of Lincoln sheep. In the early days, during the time of the Maori troubles, Isaac Bayly served five years in Major Atkinson's Bush Rangers. Subsequently he served as captain of the cavalry corps, and from 1879–80 he was captain of the Hawera Infantry, and had 110 men under his charge. He retired from the volunteers at the time of the settlement of the Parihaka trouble. In 1908 he  and Hannah retired to live at Auckland where he died in 1927 and was cremated at Purewa Cemetery.