Dutch news in brief, 1 November 2004

Ferrari cars destroyed in suspected arson

About 56 Ferraris and other luxury cars such as Masserati were destroyed in a blaze at a car yard in Hengelo on Sunday. The cars were valued from EUR 5,000 to EUR 90,000, placing the estimated damages at tens of millions of euros. Due to the high cost of the cars, not all of them were insured. Only the cheaper cars located in another part of the showroom on the Goudstraat were left undamaged. Fire fighters also saved the company’s computers and administration. Some 60 firefighters battled the blaze, which started at about 2pm and was brought under control at 3.15pm. Arson has not been ruled out. Three staff members were treated in hospital for breathing difficulties.

Criminal compensation time limit ‘too short’

A parliamentary majority backs extending the time limit for convicted criminals to pay compensation to their victims. Under the current system, custodial sentences often exceed limitations on rights to compensation, Radio Netherlands reported. Criminals either are in jail for the time they are obligated to pay compensation or only earn a small income upon release and victims receive little if any compensation. Proposals to extend the time limit will be discussed in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday.

Legendary 11 cities skater dies, aged 81

Legendary Eleven Cities Tour skater Willem Augustin died on Sunday in the Sneek hospital. He was 81. The Amsterdam man — who lived in Hindeloopen near the Skate Museum (Schaatsmuseum) — has participated in every 11 cities tour since 1941. In an epic debut, Augustin had missed the train to Leeuwarden and rode his bike over the unlit, snow-covered roads and the Afsluitdijk to the Fries capital to participate in the wartime staging of the race. The skating event is staged every winter cold enough for the canals between the 11 Friesland cities to freeze over. The marathon race is almost 200km long and has been staged just 15 times since the first event was held in 1909.

Tokkies get own webpage

The popularity of the Tokkies — the Netherlands’ most infamous misfit family — appears to have no end. After a television documentary, countless newspaper articles and help from motivational guru Emile Ratelband in finding a house, the family now has its own start page on the internet. Like stars such as Britney Spears, Eminem and Marco Borsato, the Tokkies can now be found at http://tokkies.pagina.nl. Startpagina said Tuesday that the Tokkies are enormously popular, with the search term “Tokkies” one of the most often used. The new webpage offers various links to information on the Tokkies, from the documentary about their out-of-hand neighbourhood row to the guest appearances the family is making at special events.

Subject: Dutch news