Millions at stake in long luxury resort stoush

Huka Lodge, near Taupo, is among the assets to be fought over when Michael Kidd and Alexander van Heeren return to the High Court at Auckland this week. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A multimillion-dollar fight involving one of New Zealand's most luxurious resorts is heading back to the High Court at Auckland this week.

The stoush between two former business partners, Alexander van Heeren and Johannesburg-based Michael Kidd, has been on foot for almost 20 years across two different countries.

Kidd claims he got less than US$5 million when they severed ties in 1991, while van Heeren allegedly held on to assets worth at least US$47.5 million - including Huka Lodge, Fiji's Dolphin Island retreat, and 32kg of gold.

Kidd wants a judge to rule he had an interest in half of these and the partnership's other assets when they went their separate ways - a claim he has chased since 1996.

He also wants a half share in profits from "unaccounted-for" assets, or compound interest in the alternative.

Van Heeren, the honorary Dutch consul in Auckland from 1985 until 2012, denies he owes anything.

They are due to return to the High Court at Auckland, where Kidd is asking a judge for an order to take account. This would do away with the need for a trial here and instead investigate how much, if anything, van Heeren owes Kidd.

Huka Lodge is legally held by a company called Worldwide Leisure, whose shareholder is listed as Amsterdam's Saraceno Holdings BV.

In 2005, Saraceno was granted Overseas Investment Office approval to acquire 100 per cent of Worldwide Leisure and its assets, which includes the Huka Lodge land.