Riverton was one of the first places in Southland to attract European settlers. There are extensive areas of good land in the district, and the countryside has many pleasing features; but at first the chief attraction of the place was its accessibility to the whalers, who in the very early days carried on a thriving trade on the southern coasts of New Zealand. Captain Howell and his partner, Captain Gilroy, were amongst the first to settle at Riverton; but they were soon joined by other pioneers, and the settlement thus begun was added to from time to time by arrivals from Otago. Riverton is situated on the estnary of the At arima, at the point of its confluence, with the Pourakino, sometimes called Parapourakino, and forms a natural port. The estuary empties itself into the bay or roads, named after the veteran pioneer, Captain Howell. At first the port's chief connection was with the whaling industry, which gave rise to many exciting and interesting scenes in the early days. But on account of the rich lands along the Aparima, and the fine pastoral country in the interior, Riverton soon became a place of some importance, apart from whaling, and a jetty was built for the convenience of shippers. Later on a railway was made from Riverton to Orepuki, and to the Nightcaps, via Thornbury; but in the earlier time the streets of Riverton were frequently crowded with bullock-drays laden with wool, grain, and other produce, which was shipped from the port. This trade would doubtless have increased under the encouragement of the local railway lines; but the settlers clamoured for the extension of the railway to Invercargill, and when that became a matter of fact, the business of Riverton as a seaport practically passed away, so much so, that, in 1904, little was sent away seaward from Riverton except timber from the various sawmills up the river. Riverton and South Riverton are separated by the estuary, which is spanned by a bridge that has been used and maintained by the railway department since the construction of the railway to Orepuki. In 1904, the railway department built a new bridge a little further up the estuary, at a point more suitable for traffic purposes, and to escape a large curve. Before the first bridge was built a page 931 punt connected Riverton with South Riverton. The junction of the Pourakino-Aparima rivers is between the two bridges, and, higher up, the estuary opens up to a width of several miles. Pourakino river is navigable for seven or ten miles, according to the state of the tide, and oil launches, owned by local sawmill proprietors, convey cargoes of sawn timber from the various mills. These cargoes are landed at the Riverton jetty, on the north bank of the estuary, and the s.s. “Rose Casey” is loaded with the timber for Invercargill, Dunedin and other ports. The town of Riverton is situated on the north side of the estnary, and occupies a narrow strip or tongue of land which juts out seaward, and forms, with the timber-clad slopes of South Riverton, a narrow mouth or estuary. The volume of tidal waters running into the basin is considerable, though at low tides there are extensive mud flats. Howell's Bay is on the south side of Riverton, and the beach sweeps in a south-easterly direction across Waimatuku Beach, and the entrance of the New River harbour. The scenery seen from South Riverton is very fine, and includes the waters of the estuary, with green hills relieved with small patches of pines and smiling homesteads, and, in the background, the timber-clad Longwood ranges, with the rugged ramparts of remoter mountains. Riverton, which was incorporated as a borough in 1871, is twenty-six miles from Invercargill and twenty-two miles from Orepuki. The railway station stands at an elevation of nine feet above the level of the sea. The population of the borough at the census of 1901 was 815, with 141 in the neighbourhood. The borough is surrounded by a portion of the Aparima riding of the county of Wallace; and a portion of the settlement adjacent to the borough in the Orepuki riding of the same county, had a population of nineteen. The main street of Riverton has a considerable number of places of business, with branches of the Bank of New Zealand and National Bank; and there are seven hotels, including one at South Riverton. There are Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches. An Athenaeum, with a library and reading-room, is in full operation, and the district supports a newspaper, “The Western Star.” During the summer season Riverton is popular as a resort with those in search of recreation or change of air. Pleasant trips to various points up the Pourakino river may be taken by boat or oil launch; and there is an ideal picnic ground, page 932 where the banks are clothed with lovely native vegetation, which meets in places overhead and forms a natural arbour. Another favourite spot is Lake George, about eight miles from Riverton, via Colae Bay. From the bush-clad ridges above South Riverton the tourist sees Stewart Island, the Bluff, Colac Bay and other bays, and the far-stretching South Pacific, with incoming and outgoing ships and steamers. At one time Riverton was the county town of Wallace, but in consequence of the growth of Otautan, and its more central position, the county offices were removed thither. Riverton, however, has inalienable attractions of its own in the picturesque Longwood ranges, and the estuary of the Aparima. The main thoroughfare is named after the late Lord Palmerston, and contains the principal buildings of the township. The climate is noted for its healthfulness, and the roads in the vicinity are very good for cycling during the season. A neighbouring Maori settlement, known as the Kaike, was originally the home of about 300 natives; and though this number has been very considerably reduced, there are still in the district some well-to-do natives, who engage in fishing, seal-hunting, and mutton-birding in their seasons. The public offices of Riverton include the post office, magistrate's court and police station. Gold has been found in the locality; there are quartz reefs on the Longwood ranges, and once, in recent years, a 30-ounce nugget was found in the district. Besides another route by way of Wallacetown, there is a very fine road to Invercargill along the Waimatuku beach, where there is hard sand when the tide is low, and a good horseman may enjoy one of the most exhilarating rides in the Southern Hemisphere.