Governor Gawler had managed to make South Australia self-sufficient in terms of agriculture and had restored public confidence. Gawler was a resolute and energetic officer. When he found the settlers faced with disaster, he judged at once what it was necessary to do, and saved the colony. However, Gawler's work was long misjudged, largely because his successor Grey unfairly criticised Gawler. Richard Charles Mills wrote in his "Colonization of Australia" that Gawler had been guilty of carelessness and wastefulness, and deserves blame. But at the same time Mills admitted that Gawler was facing extraordinary difficulties. 