Capleston is still spoken of by old residents as Boatman's, its original designation. The settlement is eleven miles from Reefton, via Cronadun, six miles distant. It is in the Boatman's riding of the county of Inangahua, in the electorate of Buller, and the provincial district of Nelson. Boatman's creek, a tributary of the Inangahua river, flows through the valley. The township contains two hotels, a store, a blacksmith's shop, a public library, and a public school, which is attended by about twentyfive children. The local post office, where money order and savings bank business may be transacted, has a telephone bureau. There are two churches—a Roman Catholic and an Anglican—and in the latter various Protestant bodies hold their services. In the Victoria Range, nine miles distant, there are numerous quartz reefs, including Kirwan's Reward Mine. Mining is the staple industry of Capleston, and there are several dredges at work. Good coal is found in the district, and some farming is carried on. The neighbouring mountains rise to altitudes, varying from 3,430 feet to 4,247 feet, and, further inland toward the Mauria river, are situated Mount Victoria, 5,237 feet, and Mount Ralph, 5,070 feet. At the census of 1901, Capleston had a population of 153 persons, with 20 more on the Capleston road. There is a coach service between Cronadun and Capleston.

Capleston in 1898.

Rogers' Reefers' Hotel (Mrs K. A. Rogers, proprietress), Capleston. This hotel was established in the year 1877, by the late Mr. Bernard Rogers. The building is of wood and iron, and contains ten bedrooms, two sittingrooms, a dining-room, and a billiardroom. The best liquors are kept. The accommodation is good, and there is a moderate tariff. A stable with four stalls, and a loose box is connected with the establishment.

Mrs Kathleen A. Rogers , the Proprietress of the Rogers' Reefers' Hotel, owns a large public hall, and has a farm of one hundred acres near Cronadun.

Mrs K. A. Rogers and the Late Mr. Bernard Rogers.

Mr. Bernard Rogers was born in County Tyrone, Ireland. He went to California, America, as a young man, and, later, came to New Zealand. Mr. Rogers afterwards went to Victoria, Australia, where he owned two large stores and a butchery business at Wood's Point, and was a member of the County Council. In the year 1865 he returned to New Zealand, and landed at Hokitika. Mr. Rogers started a butchery at Ross, and was afterwards mining and storekeeping at Brighton. For some time he owned a store and post office at St. Kilda, Dunedin; but, in the year 1877, he settled at Capleston, where he started a general grocery and drapery business, in addition to the Reefers' Hotel. Mr. Rogers was a member of the Capleston school committee for fifteen years. He married, in 1864, and died in the year 1904, leaving two sons and one daughter.

A1 Gold Dredging Company, Limited . Offices, Christchurch; Secretary, Mr. E. McRae. The A1 dredge is situated between Capleston and Cronadun. It is ninety-five feet in length by thirty feet beam, and six feet in depth. There is a sixty-six feet ladder, and the buckets have a capacity of four and a-half feet. An Anderson boiler of sixteen horse-power supplies the power for a twelve horsepower Marshall main engine, and an Anderson winch engine of eight horsepower. The dredge is built of good material—kauri planking, with blue gum and iron bark frames, etc. It replaced a dredge built of red pine, and has been at work since the year 1901. A dredgemaster, blacksmith, and seven other workers are employed.

Mr. Alfred Thompson has been Master of the A1 Dredge since the year 1902. He was born in Marlborough in 1869, and brought up on a farm. For about fourteen years he was engaged in mining and dredging, and was appointed to the A1 dredge in 1902. Mr. Thompson is married, and has three sons and one daughter.

Reeves Proprietary Dredging Company, Limited . Offices, Hereford Street Christchurch. Secretary, Mr. H. A. Bruce; capital, £14,000. The dredges of the Reeves Proprietary Company are situated near Capleston. The No. 1 dredge, which was started in November, 1900, has pontoons of seventy-six feet by twentylive feet, and power is derived from a Marshall engine of twelve horse-power. The No. 2 dredge is built of kauri and bluegum. Its pontoons are one hundred feet by thirty feet, and power is derived from a sixteen horse-power Marshall engine. It is capable of dredging to forty-three feet, and has a 500 feet spread of tables, the screen of which is twenty-five feet long by five feet in diameter. The whole of the appliances and machinery are exceptionally strong. All repair work is done at the Reeves Proprietary Dredging Company's blacksmith's shop, which is fitted up with a complete plant, including a four and a-half Horse-power vertical engine, steamhammer, boring machine and lathe, a four and a-half horse-power horizontal engine, and a monkey, fitted for driving bushes.

Mr. Robert Scott , Master of the Reeves Proprietary Dredging Company's Dredges, was born in Dundee, Scotland, in the year 1873. He came to New Zealand at an early age, and completed his education in Dunedin. For some years Mr. Scott was engaged in sluicing work about Naseby, and for two years was quartz mining at the Globe mine, Reefton. He afterwards went to Roxburgh, and worked at hydraulic sluicing; was subsequently placed in charge of the Victoria Bridge dredge on the Nevis, and, later, was appointed master of the Reeves Proprietary Dredging Company's dredge. Mr. Scott was cycle racing in Otago for about five years, and held the Goldfields Championship in 1897. In the year 1897, he married a daughter of Mr. G. McLay, dredgemaster of the “Hartley and Riley,” one of the oldest dredgemasters in New Zealand, and has three children.