Sen (Stewart) Smith

Stewart Smith, deaf secretary of the Deaf Welfare Centre, has rounded off a successful season by winning the Auckland indoor centre's champion-of-champion singles.

Seven young girls will make their debut at a ball to be held by the Auckland Deaf Society; they will dance the debutante walz without hearing the music.

Kath Smith, selected as chaperon for the first official team to represent New Zealand at the International Games for the Deaf, is being fitted with the ceremonial team outfit.

On a recent Saturday, I was lucky enough to meet members of the Auckland Deaf Society at a working bee they were holding to improve the grounds of the city's Deaf Welfare Centre. The centre, incidentially, is a very fine building – it has the biggest sports hall in Auckland with a floor area 110 by 60 feet.

The New Zealand team to compete in the World Deaf Games in West Germany later this month is $10,000 short of funds. The 20-strong team is due to buy its air travel tickets and is faced with having to borrow the deficit.

Stewart Smith who is deaf, has been in teams which have won the New Zealand fours twice, and one of his team has won the Auckland singles three years running.

Former New Zealand titleholder Stewart Smith (Auckland Deaf Welfare League Bowling Club) was one of the early qualifiers in the Indoor Bowls Association's annual Queen's Birthday tournament.