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Colonist, Issue 63, 28 May 1858, Page 3

A HonnißLE case of cruelty to animals has occurred at Kyneton, Victoria. A baker, named Scott, was charged with throwing two live cats into the oven, in revenge for their having eaten some pastry. The poor animals, were burned to death, after having experienced the most awful agonies. The prisoner was fined ,£2O, or four months' imprisonment—a punishment certainly not commensurate to the offence, but probably as much as the law allowed.

Novel Mode op Bkinging a Wife to Rrason. —A, rather well-dressed artisan, named Thomas Douglas, an engine-oiler on the London and NorthWestern line, was placed in the dock and charged by police constable 680 with having attempted to drown himself at the Prince's Pier-slip. The officer stated that he was gieatly surprised, at about half-past one o'clock in the morning, on seeing a man deliberately walk down the slip into the water, and gently set himself afloat swimming. He swam about, saying he was going to drown himself if they would only let him alone. They threw him out a life buoy, and the man clung to" it and was hauled ashore. He was quite sober, and he was taken to Bridewell. He stated that he was merely trying to bring his wife to reason—she was a regular termagant, and he thought nothing but the fear of losing him would give her sense. They had just been having a quarrel about the children, and as she was as headstrong as a post and would not listen to reasou, he thought he would frighten her,by jumping into the river. He was a decent swimmer, and he thought it better to do that thari-to hang himself. In answer to his Worship, the prisoner said he would not. repeat the experiment, and he was discharged.—Liverpool Post.

Disorganization .of England.—Municipalities and counties have fallen; centralization has increased ; population shifts more rapidly; contracts are made for shorter times; the union not only of buyer and seller, but of master and servant, is a less permanent, and therefore a less moral one. We have attained a high power of producing wealth, but at the expense of 'moral relationships. Nay, more than ever we seem to have become resolved into two great classes, Patrician and Plebeian, separated generally by education, sometimes only by wealth. A large fraction of the nation lives from hand to mouth, and feels little alliance to its economic superiors. It is impossiblo*for any one to contemplate these facts with a fresh eye, and not to feel grieved and humbled that our vast resources have produced no better result. It is not the largeness of our population that is to be blamed: our disease is moral not economical ,* for comparing tho production of Great Britain with her numbers, we are the wealthiest realm''the world ever saw—except that perhaps of the United States. Such phenomena give rise to sorrow, alarm, arid projects for improvement in philanthropic and sauguine minds. Most justly. But our philanthropy will only do. mischief, if it be not guided by a sound understanding of the economic forces of society .—F. W> Newman:

A Sharp Clergyman.—They, are having a strange trial of administer in Seneca Falls; One of the charges is that the gentleman hired a livery horse and waggon, was gone, two days, swapped horses six times, and came back to the stable with the same horse he took out, having made one hundred dollars in the operation. The best of the joke is'that it is perfectly true.' — American Paper.' ' ,