WORLD-WIDE NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume L, Issue 2649, 24 November 1919, Page 7

WORLD-WIDE NOTES.

A MATTER OF MONEY. When it comes to the question of where income-tax should begin there is much difference of opinion. The law used to say at £156 per annum; it now says £IOO. Many people think* that, in present circumstances, this is a hardship, and that £2OO should be the lowest figure demanding in-come-tax.

They point out that at the best of times £3 a week (£156 a year) is a small income, and now that the purchasing power of the sovereign is reduced by half, when every single item of food or wear has advanced in pries, and frequently costs double and treble its pre-war amount of cash, any deduction from such a weekly income becomes a real hardship and reduces a family to the poverty line.

SO SIMPLE. There is a village called O in Normandy, not far from Argenton. Two Chinese towns arc named respectively Y and U. There is a river Y in Holland as well as one in Wales, but the latter is spelled Wye, and one of the bays of the Zuyder Zee is also called briefly Y. Ba is a Scottish island and also a loch, while in the Isle of Mull there is both a loch and a river called Ba.

Switzerland has two rivers called A, and there is an island in the Baltic called Zee. How would this look as an address : "T. Gee, A, U.S.A." But it is quite conceivable.

OVER FOUR HUNDRED PERFUMES

It is interesting to note that 4,200 species of plants are gathered and used for commercial purposes in Europe. Of these 220 have a perfume that is pleasing, and enter largely into the manufacture of scents, soap, and sachets.

There are more species of white flowers gathered than of any other colour—l,l24. Of these 187 have an agreeable scent. Next in order come yellow blossoms, with 951, seventy-seven of them being perfumed. Red flowers number 822, of which eighty-four are scented. The blue flowers are of 594 varieties/ thirty-four of which are perfumed, and the violet blossoms number 308, thirteen of which are pleasantly odoriferous. DOG HEROES. A remarkable feat is said to have been performed by two French dogs during one of the German offensives. Their keeper stayed in the rear of the retreating French army till the last possible moment, waiting for his dogs to come back to him, with a message. When they returned there was no way of escape except., by swimming across the Marne. The man could not swim, but the dogs could. He chained them together and clung to the chain, and so they got him safely across under heavy fire. As dogs cannot be decorated nor have the honour of a "citation," an account of the incident was posted up at all the kennels of the army.