A book documenting a three-man trek to the South Pole has been cleared for publication after Peter Hillary withdrew a threat of legal action.
An out-of-court settlement was reached yesterday over Hillary's claim that the book was defamatory. This allowed immediate publication, said HarperCollins.
The book, Ice Trek, is by one of
Hillary's fellow adventurers, Australian Eric Philips. With another Australian, Jon Muir, they trekked for 84 days across Antarctica, reaching the South Pole on January 26, 1999.
Delayed by illness and bad weather, the trio failed to make the return journey to McMurdo Sound unaided.
The expedition ended in acrimony with the Australians questioning the suitability of Hillary for the polar trek.
He made his name as a mountaineer.
"The settlement was the most logical solution," Philips said. "Peter wanted money - a surprisingly small amount as it turns out - Jon and I wanted the book released.
"Now at least people can make up their own minds."
HarperCollins said Hillary had felt the book contained derogatory statements about his part in the expedition, and threatened to sue the company.
It also said Hillary had claimed that the publication of Ice Trek breached an agreement by the trio not publish an account of the trip for three years.
"Philips and Muir argued that the book did not breach contract at all, and that in fact Hillary had been asked to participate in the book, which he refused to do."
Hillary had planned his own book on the expedition, and earlier said he would wait until the three-year term was up before publishing it.
- NZPA
