The other day, Britain’s magnificent new super-liner the Queen Mary, slid smoothly down the Clyde River on her way to Southampton where she will receive the last touches before embarking on her maiden trip across the Atlantic in which she hopes to bring the title, the Queen of the Atlantic, back to Britain.

In Wellington there resides a young man who gazes rather wistfully at the many pictures of the new liner now appearing in the press. Years ago this young man was a valued employee of British Steamship Companies. He travelled on many luxurious ocean-going liners, as musical director. Not only did he conduct the ship’s orchestra, but on many occasions acted as accompanist to many glittering stars of the musical firmament. Perhaps one of the proudest moments in his life occurred when Fritz Kreisler, world famous violin virtuoso personally complimented him on the splendid accompaniment given him by this young man.

Then along came the depression. Steamship companies along with the rest felt the need of reducing their staffs. Ships’ bands and musical directors fell beneath the depression axe. And the young man wakened one morning to find himself without a job.

He visited his former employers, but always the same answer. One, however, offered a slight ray of hope. “We will,” they said to him, “in view of your service and fine ability give you the position of organist and leader of the chapel choir which will be one of the appointments of the new super-liner, the keel of which is being laid now. If you come around when she is commissioned you may have the post.”

The “super liner” mentioned was the Queen Mary, then unnamed. But five years, for it took that long to build her, was a long time to wait, so the young man followed Horace Greeley’s advice and “came west” to Canada. Here he worked at odd jobs until he again entered his beloved musical sphere.

Today, in Wellington, J. H. Tunstall gazes at the latest picture of the Queen Mary, breathes a deep sigh, then turns again to his work on the new arrangements of choral numbers for the Prince Edward Choral Society secular concert to be held next month.