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The room is full of waving hands and exaggerated facial gestures. Even though the room is silent the dozen women are "talking" with each other just as volubly as if they were having a chinwag. It is a women's only class in New Zealand's latest offical language - NZSL.

A production this month of the play Children of a Lesser God in Auckland will feature two deaf actors, Bryan Williams and Sheila Gibbons. And the starring role will be played, for the second time, by Gloss actress Miranda Harcourt.

Applications are invited for the above position based in the Wellington Welfare Office for the Deaf. Interpreting work will include areas such as welfare, court, political meetings, medical, etc. Application giving full curriculum vitae and a VHS video tape of yourself of no less than 15 minutes presented in sign language.

A trip to the United States in 1990 gave Whangārei man Kim Robinson extra motivation to seek better and equal access for the deaf community in New Zealand. Now, that commitment to ensuring deaf people are heard and their needs met has seen him made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to the deaf community in the New Year's Honours List.

Deaf people have had unfair trials through lack of interpreters telling them what is happening in courts.

For the first time in their lives, Pam and Kay, who are profoundly deaf, can talk to each other by telephone. The Combined Societies for the Deaf is hoping to get telephone-type equipment in airports, police stations, taxi offices and emergency service switchboards.

The producer of News Review explains the innovations and experimentations they have made in creating the programme, specially designed for the hard of hearing.

In the past 18 months, the NZAD has opened field offices in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, and hopes soon to establish two more in Nelson and Dunedin.

People who can hear as well as see 'Reasonable Doubts' (TV3, 9.50pm Saturdays) might be surprised to learn that Deaf New Zealanders can understand deaf lawyer Tessa Kaufman’s sign language little better than they can. ASL, used by Deaf actor Marlee Matlin, is a foreign language here. My Deaf friends give it the thumbs up. But the failure of television in New Zealand to provide anything in NZSL is described as “a running sore” by Hilary McCormack.

Deaf people gatherered near the front of the papal Mass as interpreter Rachel Locker translated for them. She said it was one of the hardest job she had done because of the religious language.

Television New Zealand has begun experimental transmission aimed at introducing a new service which will improve viewing enjoyment for the hard of hearing. Called Teletext, it is intended for daily transmission by next year.

Board member Ava Buzzard, who has been deaf since birth, is excited by the chance to have a greater role in a school she has been involved with for many years.

Few people with normal hearing stop to consider the daily frustrations faced by the deaf.

Applications are invited for the first New Zealand course of interpreter training.

The Police Minister expects the Police Complaints Authority to inquire into questions arising from the documentary 'The Remand of Ivan Curry'.

To mark the centenary of the birth of Helen Keller on June 27, 1880, Pat Dugale has written about unusual experiences in her life.

The deaf community believes it has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for too long. Now it wants to be seen and heard as a group with its own cultural identity.