Sons push for more from will

By Darrel Mager

The sons of a farmer who bequeathed $1 million to two sheepdogs, but left nothing for his children, have no intention of letting the matter rest, despite winning a stake in his estate.

The two disinherited sons won a High Court case in Auckland last month. The dead South Auckland farmer's will was overturned, and the men were awarded about $450,000 each.

But they are understood to be unhappy with their share and yesterday the Court of Appeal in Wellington said they had filed papers asking that the High Court decision be reconsidered.

The sons said in court that they should get the bulk of the fortune, but yesterday refused to comment on the appeal.

Initially, just under a quarter of their father's $4.7 million estate was to go to a trust for the benefit of two working dogs, $200,000 for his widow plus a lifetime interest in the trust that ran the farm, and the rest to sons of two Northland friends after his death in 1996.

But the sons - from the farmer's first marriage - and his widow contested the will.

Last month Justice Dame Silvia Cartwright varied it so the widow would receive 61.5 per cent of the estate and the two sons and the friends' sons would get about 9.62 per cent each.

She said the sum set aside for the dogs was totally unjustifiable.