Forlong's Furnishings

Hamilton's mayor says although the city has been chosen as the preferred venue for the V8 supercar race, the deal is not yet sealed.

Subject to resource consents, the contract between the V8 Supercar governing body Avesco and Hamilton City Council will last for eight years from 2008 until 2015.

The street race will be held in the largely industrial suburb of Frankton, bringing a projected $25 million a year into the city.

Previous attempts by Wellington and Auckland city to host the race both failed due to public concern over noise levels and disruption to transport networks in each region as well as the detailed resource consent process.

Hamilton City Council unanimously supported the event, but Mayor Michael Redman says the council realises there will be people against the plans. Nevertheless, he believes the Frankton circuit offers the best chance for consent in the country as it won't affect traffic as much.

The successful Hamilton bid squashes the hopes of Whenuapai, Wellington, Hampton Downs, Taupo and Manfeild consortiums which had hoped they were still in with a chance of hosting the New Zealand round of the popular series.

The president of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce, Steven Saunders, was quoted in the New Zealand Herald as saying there was an understanding that resource consent for the event would be granted, despite the need to still complete a public consultation process.

"Hopefully Hamiltonians, and those in a position to decide, will take the sensible option. The direct economic benefit is $175 million, that's dollars new to the region which will stay for the duration 2008-2015. It's a huge win for Hamilton," he told the Herald.

Helen Forlong, a business owner in Frankton, has given the event her endorsement.

"I think it's wonderful. Frankton is an area full of businesses that will love the idea - there are panelbeaters, car yards, car painters, wreckers, dismantlers, warrant of fitness shops - it will be great exposure for them. Noise won't be a problem, it's quite an industrial area," Forlong told the Herald.

Pukekohe will host the New Zealand round of the 2006 series in April.

A Hamilton firm is so impressed by the spirit of Ohura school children determined to keep their town alive it has sent them some Christmas cheer.

In a letter to Ohura Valley Primary School principal Kathryn Munro, Forlong's director Helen Forlong said the company's $1000 donation was sparked by a Waikato Times article on the school last month.

The article said the students were determined to keep their town alive despite the closure of Ohura's biggest employer, the prison.

Mrs Munro said the company's generosity showed the spirit of Christmas was very much alive.

"The money will indeed be used to purchase something that will benefit all the pupils at the school," she said.

HAMILTON - Hamilton's historic railway suburb of Frankton looks likely to get a facelift.

Businesspeople in the area known affectionately as The Village want the Hamilton City Council to recognise Frankton's status as the cultural centre of Hamilton and finance an upgrade.

The Frankton Business Association says the suburb has missed out on crucial maintenance and development in the past 20 years.

The association wants to capitalise on Frankton's strengths: its village atmosphere, its cultural diversity, and its market day, similar to that held in Otara, South Auckland.

In a report to a council committee today, the association says: "Nowhere in Hamilton is there a place where people of all races and cultures can meet, mingle and interact together, as occurs at Frankton during the Saturday morning markets."

The proposed upgrade would include new car-parking spaces, toilets, street lighting, signposting, pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, and the development of a theme.

Businesses also want one-way Kent St reopened to two-way traffic to revive Frankton's south end.

The report says that although there had been no nightlife in the area in recent years, the village's special character gave it the potential to take off in the evenings, with outdoor dining and evening markets.

Terry Forlong, of Forlong's Furnishings, said Frankton had evolved from a railway town to a thriving business community of mainly owner-operators.

It had survived the demise of the Frankton goods yard, the original Main Trunk Station, and the support of New Zealand Railways.

However, the city had given it little financial support. A similar report to the council five years ago was shelved, and few of its recommendations were acted on.

The council committee will today consider a staff proposal that staff work with the business association to develop a plan for upgrading and report back in October with costs.

Nikki Jordan's stove, carpet and lino are staying put.

Forlong's Furnishings managing director Ivan Forlong today said he would write off the $2700 hire purchase debt owing on chattels in Mrs Jordan's Raglan home, and that he was sorry.

The previous owner of Mrs Jordan's home had defaulted on hire purchase payments and was bankrupt and therefore unable to settle the debt.

Forlong's had been demanding a $1000 payout for the goods under threat of repossession, but Mr Forlong said his heart told him to write off the debt.

"We should have been claiming from the person who (incurred) the debt, not the next person."

Mr Forlong said he had not known about the problem until he read it in Tuesday's Waikato Times. Mr Forlong said he had not been involved in the day-to-day running of the business for a number of years and did not realise staff had been chasing the new owner in situations such as this. He has changed the policy so Forlong's will only pursue the person who incurred the debt.

"We didn't want to upset people so we cleared the matter up so we could have a pleasant night's sleep. If we've upset anyone, we're sorry."

Mrs Jordan said the decision was a relief.

She was expecting to have to buy a new stove, carpet and lino this month, but instead she was celebrating a victory for "the little people".

"Although legally Forlong's was in the right, sometimes morals override the law."

She said she was considering lobbying MPs to make changes to the Hire Purchase Act so chattels not fully paid for would have to be listed.