Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1893-01-21 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE GOVERNMENT AND LABOUR  BUREAUS.  A correspondent of the Times writes that he is in a position to state that steps are being taken which are expected to result in the creation of an organisation deserving the title of a British Labour Bureau. The general principle has been agreed to, and the matters of detail are now being so seriously discussed that some new departure may be expected in the course of a few weeks. This action on the part of the Government is being taken entirely on their own initiative. But it may be regarded as certain that nothing will be done which would involve Ministerial ,hange, or, indeed, legislative action of any kind whatever. It is perfectly understood in the circles concerned that Mr. Gladstone would not be likely to consent to the adoption of courses which would involve such action. Hence it is believed that, to begin with, at least, the new departure wilt be departmental in character, and will be carried out, in conjunction with the Treasury, in such a way as not to lead either to changes in the Goverement or to increased legislative work in the House itself. The Labour Department will he of the nature of an intelligence bureau. It would not seek to "arbitrate"; it would merely gain information, and sliew the real facts, apart from prejudices of all kinds, thus giving the parties a better chance of really understanding MO another.  During the Christmas holidays several big native lights occurred along the main reef of the Witwatersrand mines, in which sticks and stones were freely used. A very large number were severely wounded, and many have since died. Several horrible murders have also taken place in Kaffir locations, the vittims being natives. The Panama affair continues to excite the utmost interest in Paris. The papers contain many sensational rumours as to fresh prosecutions and arrests, but so far there seems no justification for these reports beyond the fact that a German, an Italian, and an Hungarian—all newspaper correspondents—have been, or are about to be, expelled from French territory for writing defamatory articles on the subject. It is announced that M. Baihaut, the ex-Minister of Public Works, now in Mazas Gaol, has confessed to having extorted 500,000 f. from the Panama Company.  A train on the Chicago -and Illinois Railway filled with suburban passengers, was standing in Fiftyfifth-street Station when it was struck by an express on the Chicago and Erie line. Three cars ofthe suburban train were telescoped and badly wrecked, and scarcely had the passengers be2un to emerge from the debris when it caught tire from an overturned stove. Fortunately water was available and the flames were speedily quenched, but not until a number of persons pinned down by the broken carriages had been badly scorched. The passengers who had escaped removed the injured from the wreckage. Eighteen persons were seriously hurt, and another is not expected to live.  The harbour at Hamburg is completely ice-bound, with the result that 6,829 vessels are lying at their moorings in enforced idleness, including 126 steamers, 101 sailing vessels, 600 barges, and full y 5,000 transport boats. Great loss is being experi• enced by owners and traders.