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

Wellington actor Miranda Harcourt who plays Sarah in Children of a Lesser God, understands her character's sentiments. She spent eight months learning sign language before the play opened at Dunedin's Fourtune Theatre in October.

A great step forward in what is a unique work of Christian charity and education in New Zealand was taken last Sunday, November 28, with its opening. The additions to the school consist of a splendid new block providing classrooms and dormitories.

Curry, who was deaf after suffering meningitis as an infant, spent two years in jail before being brought to trial on a murder charge a jury took just two hours to throw out.

Peter Downie is a basketball referee of considerable merit, a national badge holder for eight years, Downie recently shifted to Auckland from Christchurch.

Children Of A Lesser God, a play that tackles the communication problems faced by deaf people, opens at Circa tomorrow night. Suzanne Pollard talks to two of the cast about their roles.

Police Complaints Authority reports on the police handling of the 1988 case in which a profoundly deaf man was charged with murder and later acquitted.

A fight has begun against a justice system which some deaf people regard as denying them basic human rights.

A Wellington club for the deaf has started a drive to raise funds to build clubrooms. Club members, many of whom are tradesmen, want to build the clubrooms themselves.

Week in, week out, Linda's hands flutter expressively about events from the spectrum of human existence: funerals, trade union meetings, church services, antenatal classes, court cases, visits to doctor and lawyer.

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.

Wellington has a new worker among the deaf. Pat Dugdale, profoundly deaf, has been made field officer by the New Zealand Association of the Deaf. Her job is to provide personal social service help and to liaise with organisations, welfare agencies, commercial institutions and lawyers on behalf of the deaf.

Some good has resulted from the tragic case of deaf man Ivan Curry who was found not guilty after nearly two years in jail for murder, says the Deaf Association.

Wellington Deaf Society secretary, Pat Dugdale, is expecting 200 people from around New Zealand to take part in its 50th anniversary celebrations.

A significant step for New Zealand's deaf community has been taken this week. The country's first permanent sign language interpreters' course began on Monday at the Auckland Institute of Technology. At present there are only four official interpreters servicing New Zealand's more than 24,000 deaf people. Sixteen students from around the country started the two-year course this week.

Sign language interpreters have made it possible for a deaf Victoria University lecturer to serve on a jury which is believed to be a first for New Zealand.

Auckland film-maker Ann Andrews has embarked on a project that Television New Zealand initially regarded as unpalatable last year She is making a film about deaf people. Anne is allowing the deaf to use their first language – sign language.

The Ivan Curry documentary has prompted the deaf community to insist that professional sign language interpreters be used in all police and court work in future.

The play, Children of a Lesser God, opens at Wellington's Circa Theatre next week. The theatre is arranging a special showing of the play, with an interpreter, for deaf people, their families and tutors.

The story of Catholic Deaf-Mute education, what has been done for deaf students by Dominican Nuns, and the new St. Dominic’s School for Deaf Children in Wellington.

Basketball referees Peter Murray and Peter Downie are quite used to being accused of being blind. This they ignore. Accusations of deafness are a different matter.

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.