HomePublicationsNZ Deaf News: 1972 (Vol. 9, No. 4)

NZ Deaf News: 1972 (Vol. 9, No. 4)

Some of the items featured in the 1972 issue of ‘NZ Deaf News’ (Vol. 9, No. 4):

  • District ‘Round-Up’ from Auckland, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago.
  • Deaf education updates from St Dominics and Kelson. St Dominics talks about its reunion (1972 St Dominics) and a story about the Deaf school ghost! Kelston covers its new buildings, gala day and driving licenses gained by its students.
  • ‘Our Big Game fishing trip’, an article about four Deaf men on a trip to the Bay of Islands in the search for big fish!
  • A summary of the NZ Deaf Sports Convention in Wellington 1972, with golf featured for the first time, with results and names of winners listed.
  • Deaf Organisations
  • TV/Media
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.
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: 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.
Taonga source:
New Zealand Deaf News
Reference number:
SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, DN1972-9-4-MJN
Note:
This item has been compressed and/or edited.