Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 6 May 1893, Page 3

Notes and Events.

' Thirty years ago (sayg a Home paper), a shoemaker named William Blagg was executed at Chester for the- murder of a game keeper named Bebbington, employed by Mr Corbet, of tilsion Lodge, Cheshire. The incriminating evidence against Blagg related to certain footprints on a field in which the murder, was perpetrated c6rresnonding exactly with Blagg's boots. Two years ago Dr Churtbn, Coroner at Chester, who ! ittveatigated the murder, received a communication from the Rev H. Waters, St Paul's Church, New Orleans, United States, announcing that he had taken the statement of a man named Jones, then lying seriously ill, confessing that he mur dered Bebbington with Blagg's gun. He gave a detailed account of the tragedy, explaining as to the footprints that he stole Blagg's boots. Later . on Dr Churton reoeived a further letter from Mr Waters, announcing Jones' death. Madiidisa capital, just now in curious straits, says the St Jame's Gazette. No city has yet had the same experience. London has been for a day without coal. Paris has been for a week without cabs. Florence has been for 24 hours without gas. Once, indeed, Vienna was almost without water. Madrid Is* now without matches. This is how it has come about. In Spain, as in France, there is a Government monopoly of matches. The Government makes them and sells them, and they are very dear and very bad. Of course the Government has not a factory ; if it had, the matches would be better. But it farms its rights and grants a concession to one firm that supplies all Spain. The firm has got into some difficulties with its employees. Production stopped, consumption continued, till the other day Madrid found itself without a match. And the Madrid folk are very match-consuming people. They are always smoking •and, as a race, they keep late hours. The question was at first viewed as a joke. But it soon got a little more ■trious — so much so that it was solemnly proposed to go back to the primeval flint and steel, or the less reliable tinder-box.