LIP READING

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1933, Page 2

LIP READING

UNIQUE AUCKLAND CONTEST

DEAF WOMEN COAIPETE,

AUCKLAND November 25

Six partly-deaf women with their ears muffled under a temporary headland took part in Auckland last even.ng in what is believed to be the first semi-public lip-reading contest held in' Australian and New Zealand. Tile jompetition was under the aiispices of Jic N<w Zealand League for the Hard jf Hearing,- members of the public jcjng present by invitation. The contestants who, as members of die league, are studying lip-reading, were given three tasks to perform.- At dia dictation of Professor Maxwell Valker they wrote a series of sentences aid then wrote the names' of a variety if objects .from descriptions read by Mr J. F. Montague. The third test consisted in repeating, sentences read jy Mrs K. Hurd-Wood, founder and u'ganising - secretary of the league. Pile paper read hy Professor Maxwell Walker was prepared by .Mr H. J. D. -Mahon and the one delivered by Mr, Montague- was prepared by the Mayoress ; Mrs G, W. Hutchison. In welcoming the gathering Mrs Hurd-Wood said a lip-reading contest was not art examination, but more in the nature of a sporting eVent.

Mrs Hutchison, who is vice-patron of the league,. said the contest- proved diat deaf people need not have a dull time because of ithejr//affliction. ■ In j she -referred ;to the enter-caipnif-ht: {lip-readers must obtains by “hearing” what their rivals had to say about their hats. She believed lip-reading would prove a great joy and comfort to those who were deaf ,and hoped the progress made by the league would encourage others to join.

Dr Hardie Neil, president of the league, emphasised the importance of elocution, in that it gave a speaker the faculty of emitting a stream- of wellspaced, clear-cut- words, that aided the lip-reader and also' the hard of hearing in the interpretation of, sound.* W w Mr Kenneth M’acKenzie said that, speaking as the president of the Auckland division of 'the . British -Medic'al Association/' lie; felt /the ’greatest /ipterest ’in the league, and !had of/ the value of . it's- work /' He would ni'p-ke it,- his..business to.. let/members of ills profession know, bf- the- league. He wished the movement well/.ahet hoped it would fulfil -a /slightly,-per-verted text, “Those!-that have not' ■ears to' hear, let- them hear.” ' ,

The winners of the contest were .announced as follows, the ' judge' being Mrs Culford Bell • —Mrs Baton, '1 ; Miss Gallaber, 2; Miss Brown > and Miss Eggleton, equal/ 3. Two of-’the four did not commence the study-; of lip-reading until after■ last March.