The proposal to provide residents of St. Kilda with the convenience of slot telephones seems likely to materialise in the near future, and during yesterday the Mayor (Mr W. T. M'Farlane) and an official from the Telegraph Department endeavoured to find suitable locations for these instruments.
One machine will be placed in the vicinity of the Council Chambers, and though the positions of the other two have not yet been definitely decided upon, it is expected that one will be allocated to each of the Park and Musselburgh Wards.
• Returned visitors to Port Molyneux Beach report an ideal season, and visitors were able to indulge to the full in surfing, fishing, and exploring the beauty spots along the beach, and excursions to Cannibal Bay, Pounawea, etc.
Good hauls of flounders have been the rule (says the Free Press), likewise the crayfish ground at Roaring Bay has never been more productive to the netters who visited it at low tide. All the cottages at Kaka Point are still occupied, and are likely to be for some weeks.
He does most of his composing in his office, and he is immune from the distractions of one of the noisiest places in the city. If this is doubted, walk into this ragtime emporium some day and listen. Strung along one side of the first floor are little coops just large enough to hold a piano and a couple of chairs.
The rooms are said to be soundproof, but they are not. Within are members of the profession (the vaudeville profession) trying out new song numbers. Then they fall into the old numbers, and if ever there was a man who was called upon to face bravely his sins of the past that man is Mr Berlin. He fairly lives in an atmosphere of his own ragtime.
''Five years ago a popular song was considered an exceptional 'hit' if it sold 200,000 copies,'' said he.
''It took all the way from two to four years for the composer to realise any profit on a 'hit.' Now a song is only mediocre that sells less than 400,000 copies. Some of my pieces have passed the 2 million mark.''
In dollars and cents this means enormous profits for the composer who writes a successful popular song. It is said that Mr Berlin in five years has made 100,000. His best seller has been ''Alexander's Ragtime Band'', which netted him more than 8000. Mr Berlin writes the lyrics to his own music.
''I confess that my knowledge of music is almost nothing,'' said Mr Berlin.
''I never had any musical education, and I cannot even play the piano. Furthermore, I have no desire to study music - at least, not for the present - because it would completely change my method of work, and composing, even such as mine, I assure you, is work, and mighty hard work.
''You ask me how I do it? Well, right at the start banish any thoughts that I consider myself a genius. I compose because it comes naturally for me to do so. It is all for the ear, the lyrics and music combined, and I just seem to have a way of turning words and tune together.''
- ODT, 23.1.1914.
