C—2

It will be noted from the table above that in only one previous year has the production for 1949 been exceeded—namely, in the year 1945, when the record production of 2,833,576 tons was achieved. Actually since 1943 production of coal has been maintained at an even level of some 2,800,000 tons, and indications are that production may be continued at this level during the current year. During 1949, 175 mines were in operation. Of these, 56 mines operated wholly or principally on freehold land and the remaining 119 wholly or predominantly on Crown land. Output from freehold land was 1,134,536 tons (40 per cent.) and output from Crown land 1,678,739 tons (60 per cent.), these proportions being similar to those recorded in the previous year. Imports of coal in 1949 amounted to 78,485 tons, as against 54,211 tons in 1948 and 93,411 tons in 1947. Coal was imported from the United Kingdom and South Africa, the greater proportion coming from South Africa. All this coal was used by the railways. During the current year imports of coal have continued to be made from South Africa. Exports of coal in 1949 amounted to 21,575 tons, as compared with 18,913 tons in 1948. In 1949, 2,071,288 tons were produced from underground mines, compared with 2,099,158 tons in 1948, and from opencast mines 741,987 tons were produced in 1949, as against 676,728 tons in 1948. The output per miner employed underground was 517 tons, a decrease of 29 tons as compared with 1948. The production per man on the pay-roll of underground mines—i.e., both underground and surface workers—was 385 tons, a decrease of 24 tons on the previous year. Production per man employed in opencast mines was 1,484 tons, a decrease of -3 tons as compared with 1948. The over-all production per man employed in the industry—i.e., combined underground and opencast mines—amounted to 479 tons, a decrease of 18 tons as compared with 1948.

Comparative figures for the years from 1930 onward are given in the tabulation below:—

5

Year. Output. ( Men Employed Underground. | Tons per Man Underground. Men Employed on Surface.. Tons per Man on Pay-roll. Underground Mines 1930 2,530,661 4,430 | 571 1,409 433 1931 2,143,023 4,331 495 1,375 376 1932 1,826,110 3,379 540 1,214 398 1933 1,797,869 3,194 563 1,134 415 1934 2,042,228 3,249 629 1,172 462 1935 2,098,904 3,104 676 1,083 501 1936 2,108,238 3,154 668 1,040 503 1937 2,238,651 3,288 681 1,074 513 1938 2,180,122 3,368 647 1,142 483 1939 2,296,007 3,542 648 1,164 488 1940 2,465,336 3,769 1 654 1,241 492 1941 2,585,324 3,633 712 1,325 521 1942 2,624,267 3,659 717 1,291 530 1943 2,725,831 3,999 j 682 1,329 512 1944 2,609,516 3,958 | 659 1,395 489 1945 2,380,896 3,932 | 606 1,328 453 1946 2,265,170 3,819 i 593 1,313 441 1947 2,107,033 3,739 564 1,271 421 1948 2,099,158 3,842 546 1,285 409 1949 2,071,288 4,009 1 517 1,368 385