PM keen for Hillary-Museum dispute to avoid court

Sir Edmund Hillary's diary from his expedition to the top of Mt Everest.

The Hillary family's dispute with Auckland War Memorial Museum might be settled without a court case, Prime Minister John Key said today.

Mr Key revealed his department was working with both parties.

"A channel of communication has opened up, there is goodwill on both sides," he said at his post-cabinet press conference.

"I'm hopeful we can reach a sensible solution and outcome without a court case."

Sir Ed Hillary's children have threatened legal action against the museum in a bid to regain control of his diaries, writings and family photographs.

In his will, Sir Ed bequeathed his personal papers to the museum with the proviso that his children would have access to them as they saw fit.

His son Peter Hillary spoke last week of a "clear breakdown" in the family's relationship with museum director Vanda Vitali.

He and his sister Sarah had not been consulted on the museum's plans for the memorabilia.

And "even more disturbing" was the museum's intention to claim intellectual property rights over it, Mr Hillary said.

"We've always been very positive about it. It seemed like the most appropriate place for them to go," he said.

"But we never anticipated the museum not being in absolute partnership with us."

Mr Hillary said the family had been ready to give many more items to the museum but that was now in doubt.

"The reality is...they are Sarah's and my history and we need to be able to comment on how some of these things are used."

- NZPA