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PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE.
soil, that is to say, apricots were planted on soil more suited to lemons, and vice versâ, the consequence of which was that many blocks have had to be replanted. Another mistake was, that many of the trees supplied to the settlers were not true to name, and had afterwards to be rebudded or replaced. It is difficult to see how the first error could have been avoided until actual experience had been gained of the capacity of the various soils on the Mildura settlement. For the second error the nurserymen who supplied the trees are mainly to blame. Both these misfortunes have greatly retarded the progress of Mildura. Future settlers will benefit by the experience of their predecessors.
Opposition to new settlers.Prominent among the causes for the failure of the company must be placed the action taken by the settlers themselves in 1892–93. Though the Engineer of Water Supply reports that he found the majority of the settlers were satisfied with the management of the Messrs. Chaffey, there was a strong hostile minority, some of whom claimed to have water supplied to them free, as it had been during the first three years after the settlement was started, though in the advertisements issued by the Chaffeys it was stated that the water rate would probably be about six shillings an acre. This rate was levied in 1890, but in 1891 a very much higher rate was levied. The principal complaint was not so much that the water rate was too high, but that the water supply was insufficient for irrigating the land already planted, owing to the leakage from the channels. The original settlers became apprehensive that if new settlers kept coming in their own plight would become worse. They therefore took214
