Deaf Runner Has Left But Tour Fund Short

The sole New Zealand deaf competitor to compete at the World Deaf Games, N. Coventry (Auckland), left with his manager, Mr M. Ward (Christchurch), yesterday morning almost on a time-payment basis because the deaf authorities are still woefully short of the finance needed for the trip to Yugoslavia.

A two-hour delay to the airliner flying in from the United States of America, and on which the deaf men were to fly out, meant a transfer to a BOAC flight which left at 10 a.m.—an hour later than the original departure time.

“We had to change flights in order to catch the Sydney flight connection for Yugoslavia,” said Mr C. M. Kay, president of the Deaf Sports Association, who was at the airport to farewell the small team.

Coventry and Mr Ward spent the waiting time conversing in sign language with several deaf friends in the airport cafeteria.

There will be two days of sightseeing in Bangkok and the deaf pair will reach Belgrade at midday on Friday. They are due to return to Auckland at 7.30 a.m. on August 30.

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