The order, which was placed on 16th January, two days after the man was measured, involved the making of a new last by the contractor. Owing to a shortage of skilled labour there is, in general, delay in the delivery of new boots and the position is especially difficult when a new last has to be made. In this case, delivery of the new boots has been promised within a fortnight from now. Appropriate allowances will be paid for any period during which the pensioner has been prevented from working. To help in remedying the position as a whole, some disabled ex-Service men have been taken into training, and a number of European volunteer workers have recently been brought to this country and are employed at the factory of our principal contractors.