Inangahua Junction is a farming and mining district at the confluence of the Inangahua and Buller rivers. The settlement is on the south bank of the Buller, and on the west bank of the Inangahua. It is in Boatman's riding of the Inangahua county, in the electoral district of Nelson. The population of the settlement at the census of 1901 was ninety-eight. Coaches meet daily from Reefton and Westport, and from Nelson twice a week. The Junction is twenty-six miles from Westport, twelve from Lyell, and 111 from Nelson. The continuation of the railway line from Reefton is in course of formation and construction. To the southward lies the valley of the Inangahua, noted for its rich, cultivated bush land. Several dredges are at work on the Buller river in the immediate neighbourhood. There are two accommodation houses, and a public school with an average attendance of eighteen; and services in connection with the Anglican church are held weekly by the vicar from Reefton, and the curate from Lyell. The business of the Post Office, Money Order Office, and Savings Bank is conducted at the store of Mr. H. Taylor, and there is also a telephone bureau. There are considerable quantities of red and white pine in the locality, and a fair amount of silver pine. Boundary Peak, to the eastward of Inangahuna Junction, rises 3,999 feet above the level of the sea. About thirty years ago large numbers of miners were employed in the neighbourhood of Inangahua Junction, and sittings of the Warden's Court were held in the township.

The Inangahua Junction Post Office has been conducted at the general store of Mr. Hugh Taylor since the year 1871. There is a telephone bureau, a money order office, and a savings bank connected with the establishment.

Mr. Hugh Taylor , J.P., Postmaster at Inangahua Junction, is also a storekeeper and a farmer. His store was established in the year 1871. He holds a farm of 400 acres, of which 250 acres are cleared. The site of the Inangahua station of the Midland railway is on his property. Mr. Taylor was born in the parish of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1845, and was brought up on a farm. He came to New Zealand in the year 1863, and landed at Post Chalmers by the ship “Mataura.” Mr. Taylor was for some time with Mr. Kennedy, the Otago Provincial Cattle Inspector, at Green Island, and was afterwards at the Arrow and Shotover diggings in Otago. He removed to Hokitika in 1865, and spent several years digging and prospeeting on the West Coast. Mr. Taylor has been chairman of the local school committee, and is a Justice of the Peace. He is married, and has seven children.

Inangahua Junction Hotel (James McKay, proprietor), Inangahua Junction. This hotel is about twenty miles from Reefton, eleven miles from Lyell, and twenty-six from Westport. It was established in 1873 by the late Mr. Frank Courtney, and was taken over in 1894 by the present proprietor, who has renovated and enlarged it. The house is most favourably situated for tourists, and there is an excellent table, under the immediate supervision of Mrs McKay. Mr. McKay has a large farm from which the house is well supplied with vegetables, fruit and other produce. The hotel is well conducted, and the wines, spirits and ales are of high quality. Excellent paddocking is provided for travelling stock.

Mr. James Mckay , the Proprietor of the Inangahua Junction Hotel, was born in Hokitika in 1868, and received his education there. After leaving school he was employed in several large business houses on the West Coast. He afterwards entered the well-known firm of Forsyth and Masters at Reefton, and has benefitted by a first-class experience of general business. Mr. McKay takes a good deal of interest in public matters.

Buller Junction Gold Dredging Company Limited , Inangahua Junction; offices, Reefton; Secretary, Mr. B. P. MeMahon. This company's dredge is working a short distance above the Inangahua Junction. It is strong and well built, and the pontoons, which are ninety-six feet in length by thirty feet beam, are of kauri. Power is derived by a twenty horse-power Sparrow boiler, with a sixteen horse-power Marshall engine, and the winches are operated by a seven horse-power Marshall engine; the ladder, with feet buckets, is capable of dredging to forty feet. A dredgemaster, blacksmith, and seven other persons are employed.

Mr. Smith Hadfield Smeaton , Master of the Buller Junction Gold Dredge, was born at Lake Hawea, in Otago, and removed to the West Coast about the year 1881. He has been employed in dredging from the inception of the dredging industry, in the days of the old spoon dredges, and has worked in various capacities on several dredges. Mr. Smeaton took charge of the Buller Junction dredge in November, 1900. He is married, and has one son and one daughter.

The Welcome Dredge is working on the Buller river, at Inangahua Junction, and is the property of a private syndicate, of which Mr G. King, of Christchurch, Canterbury, is secretary. The dredge was designed by Cutten Brothers, of Dunedin. The pontoons are eighty-five feet long by thirty feet wide, with a depth of six feet. Power is derived from a sixteen horse-power engine, with a twenty horse-power boiler, by Anderson and Co., of Christchurch, and the winches are operated by a Marshall engine, of nine horsepower. There is a thirty-six feet ladder, and the buckets have a capacity of five feet. The frames are of hardwood, with red pine planking. A dredgemaster and seven persons are employed.

Mr. George Rich Wylde , Master and Engineer of the Welcome Dredge, was born at Kaiapoi, in the year 1858. He was educated in Greymouth, learned engineering at the Greymouth Dispatch Foundry, and afterwards worked with Cable and Co., of Wellington. For some time he was engineer in charge of the principal quartz batteries in Reefton, and had considerable mining experience on the West Coast. Mr. Wylde took charge of the Welcome dredge in the year 1904, and is one of the syndicate who owns it. He is married, and has five children. Mr. Wylde resides in Reefton.