C—2
It will be noted that there has been a substantial increase in the number of men employed in coal-mines, and it is gratifying that men are being attracted to the industry and, in particular, to underground work. No doubt the improvement of living conditions at coal-mining townships is in part responsible for the increase, and a major contribution to this has been the provision of hostels for single men by the Labour and Employment Department. During 1949, hostels were completed at Ohura and Ohai, so that hostels are now available at five mining centres : Huntly, Reefton, Granity, Ohura, and Ohai. During this present year it is intended to adapt a large house at Blackball for use as a hostel, the hostel at Renown is to be improved and extended, and minor extensions are to be made at Ohura. On the completion of this programme, it is felt that adequate accommodation for single men will be available in every important coal-mining centre. The position has so far improved that the hostel projected for Denniston and the additional
6
Y ear. Output. Men Employed. Tons per Man | Employed. Opencast Mines 1930 . . 11,431 28 520 1931 .. 14,733 39 378 1932 15,912 43 370 1933 .. 23,389 58 403 1934 .. 18,087 57 317 1935 . . 16,280 44 370 1936 . . 31,979 63 508 1937 .. 39,148 55 712 1938 .. 41,966 53 792 1939 . . 46,632 56 833 1940 . . .50,763 36 1,410 1941 54,183 33 1,642 1942 55,774 47 1,187 1943 .. 62,037 46 1,349 1944 .. 196,454 242 812 1945 .. 452,680 332 1,363 1946 .. 528,700 425 1,244 1947 644,692 432 1,492 1948 .. 676,728 455 1,487 1949 741,987 500 i 1,484 All Mines 1930 . . j 2,542,092 | 5,867 433 1931 2,157,756 5,745 376 1932 .. 1,842,022 ! 4,636 397 1933 .. 1,821,258 4,386 415 1934 .. 2,060,315 4,478 460 1935 .. 2,115,184 4,231 500 1936 .. 2,140,217 4,257 503 1937 2,277,799 4,417 516 JL938 . . 2,222,088 4,563 487 1939 .. 2,342,639 4,762 492 1940 .. 2,516,099 5,046 499 1941 2,639,507 4,991 529 1942 .. 2,680,041 4,997 536 1943 .. 2,787,868 5,374 519 1944 .. 2,805,970 i 5,595 502 1945 .. 2,833,576 | 5,592 507 1946 .. .. 2,793,870 5,557 503 1947 . . 2,751,725 5,442 506 1948 , 2,775,886 ] 5,582 497 1949 .. 2,813,275 5,877 479