NZ Deaf News: 1968 (Vol. 6, No. 1)

Some of the items featured in the 1968 Issue of ‘NZ Deaf News’ (Vol. 6, No. 1):

The annual subscription to the New Zealand Deaf News is 50 cents, due September each year.
Auckland has its own full-time Welfare Officer, or Social Worker. Trevor Fear’s new position is called ‘pioneering’ and could lead to the appointment of other Welfare Officers in other parts of New Zealand.
St Dominics provides an update on the students’ activities at the school, and its upcoming preparations for its Silver Jubilee in 1969! Kelston reports that it has been busy planning for a record intake of deaf youngsters during 1969 and 1970.
Results from the NZ Deaf Convention in Christchurch, with athletics, table tennis, badminton, basketball, bowls – with a picnic on the Sunday afterwards.
An extract from the NZ Women’s Weekly, with an article on John Keogh, a Deaf dress designer.

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NZSL story – Taonga source: Kevin Pivac

A Sleepless Train Ride to and from Wellington for the Sports Convention

In 1972, Kevin played basketball for the Auckland Deaf Society at the Deaf Sports Convention in Wellington, where the team took home the Cunniffe Cup. The Auckland group travelled by overnight train, with one carriage packed full of Deaf people. Sleep was scarce with constant chatting and playing with the lights. Alcohol was banned on trains at the time, but on the return trip on Monday night, a friend met them at Paekākāriki and dropped off a crate, which they secretly brought into the carriage!

NZSL story – Taonga source: Kevin Pivac

Kevin’s First Sports Convention: Shot Put and Badminton Success

Kevin remembers attending his first New Zealand Deaf Sports Convention in 1968 at 18 years old. He represented Auckland in both badminton and shot put. The Auckland Deaf Society booked a charter flight for the whole team on a British Viscount plane with four turboprop engines. As was the norm, everyone dressed smartly for travel. Kevin recalls how he managed to win the shot put event, beating competitors who were much larger than him!

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Hunt

Establishing the ‘NZ Deaf News’ in 1962

John Hunt's involvement with NZ Deaf News spanned 23 years. Upon moving to New Zealand in 1962, he was surprised to find out that there was no NZ Deaf News at a time where radio and TV (which was inaccessible for Deaf people) were one of the main medium of news. He established the NZ Deaf News publication with a group of 10 people. The first issue was only 8 pages and with donations, the next one was 16 pages. It grew exponentially and was the place to go for Deaf-related news.

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Mansell

Dressed to Represent at the NZ Deaf Sports Convention

John recalls how athletes travelling to Deaf Sports Conventions, such as the one in Christchurch in 1968, were required to dress formally, including wearing ties. Both athletes and supporters wore rosettes to show their club. These were removed during games but worn again afterward. On the final evening, swapping rosettes was a tradition. John still has a few at home.

Barbara Hazelwood (O’Neill)

Barbara Hazelwood (O’Neill)

Bruce McHattie

Colin Goodhue

Cyril Allen

Danny (Daniel) Beech

Danny (Daniel) Beech

Des Powell

Gloria Fage

Graham Mansell

Irene Gordon

John Hunt

John Keogh

John Mansell

John McRae

Kath Smith

Keith Gordon

Kevin Pivac

Malcolm Ward

Maree Carroll (Ward)

Maree Carroll (Ward)

Marlene Rush

Noel Coventry

Norman Norris

Patty (Noeline) Still

Patty (Noeline) Still

Polly Forman (Karaka)

Polly Forman (Karaka)

Ray Forman

Robyn Crosbie

Sen (Stewart) Smith

Sen (Stewart) Smith

Sue (Susan) Penman

Sue (Susan) Penman

Suzanne Hanson

Terry (Terence) Bailey

Terry (Terence) Bailey

Tom Still

Trevor Fear

Wayne Bird

Taonga source:

New Zealand Deaf News

Reference number:

SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, DN1968-6-1-MJN

Copyright status:

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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