H—ll

factories included differs from that shown in Tables I and 11. The explanation of this is that many factories carry on production which falls into two or more industrial groups. In such cases only one registration is effected, and Tables I and II show registered factories. Those covering more than one industrial group are placed in Table II in that group in which they are substantially engaged. Tables 111 and IV, however, separate such factories into production units in each industry, where they appear as separate ■" factories," classified according to the number of workers in that industry. (The number of workers includes working occupiers.) The tables then tend to exaggerate the small size of productive units, first, by including many establishments such as laundries and bakehouses not usually thought of as " factories," and, secondly, by splitting some establishments into two or more units. It is apparent from the figures that the normal factory contains fewer than five workers, while only 14 per cent. (2,578) of the total have more than ten workers. Diagram 11, which shows the totals of Tables 111 and IV in graphic form, demonstrates strikingly the variations in size which do occur, the largest factory in the Dominion employing over 1,800 workers. The distribution pattern showing a peak at one or two employees, followed by a steady decline as the number of employees increases is common to all districts, only a few departures from the trend being evident. Similarly, the distribution in each industry takes the same form. Table V shows a further analysis of those factories employing more than 10 workers. It will be seen that the decrease in numbers of factories which follows an increase in the number employed proceeds much less rapidly among the larger establishments. While half the total number (2,578) lie in the group with fewer than 20 workers, there is a very even distribution between the groups with more than 100 workers, and there is no sharp " peak " which can be •described as the £ ' normal " size. (4) Accidents in Factories Statistics of figures for industrial accidents are compiled for calendar years. Since some of the disabilities caused by accidents in the year 1946 have not yet been fully accounted for in such matters as time lost and compensation paid, preliminary figures only are to hand. The total number of accidents in factories (6,388) shows an increase over the previous year's total (6,143) of 2-4 per cent. Since there are as yet no figures available for man-hours worked during the year, this increase cannot be said to denote any increase in the frequency rate of factory accidents. It should be borne in mind that the number of persons employed in factories has shown an increase of 8 per cent. Table VI sets out the preliminary figures in fuller detail.

The severity rate of accidents may well have decreased in view of the greater number of persons exposed to risk. Fatal accidents were, happily, only 7, compared with 11 in the previous year. The following sets out the number of accidents by the three main measures of severity :

9

Extent of Disability. . Number of Accidents. 1945. 1948. Temporary Permanent partial Fatal 6,006 126 11 6,169 112 7 Totals 6,143 6,388