THE HARD OF HEARING.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 18987, 3 July 1933, Page 7

THE HARD OF HEARING.

WORK OF N.Z. LEAGUE. TESTS HELD IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, Monday. On Saturday the New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing conducted its first lip-reading contest, the competitors being two representative students form each of six classesTwo papers each containing eight short sentences were dictated to the competitors, who committed the sentences to writing. The first group of sentences was on the subject of “The Press,” and was compiled by Sir George Fowlds, while the second series, selected by Mr 11. j. D. Mahon, headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School, took the form of questions likely to he asked by a visitor to the city. After the dictation there was an oral test with sentences relating to money, shopping and business, set by Miss Clare, principal of the Government school for hard of hearing children.

The sentences were read to 'the contestants by strangers, and in order to ensure absolute fairness those competitors with partial hearing were obliged to wear close-fitting earphones packed with cotton-wool. Mrs Cut ford Bell was the judge of the contest, which was won by Miss Faulkner, who attained 128 marks out of a possible 130. The second place was filled by Mrs Gnsparich with 123 marks,, and the third place by Miss MacDonald, with 104 marks. Classes in lip-reading were begun on May 24, 1932, and are gratuitously conducted by Mrs G. A. Hurd-wood, of Hamilton, founder of 'the league and honorary organising secretary, with the voluntary assistance of Miss M. Shutes, one of the beneficiaries, and Miss E. Ash, a full-time teacher, who recently arrived from England.

A month of concentrated lessons for country beneficiaries will commence to-day.