a Supreme Court trial on January 25.

The dispute involves former Laidlaw Inc. chief Mr. Michael DeGroote and Ms Marion MacMillan, whose family owns Cargill Inc., the largest privately owned company in the US.

Mr. DeGroote launched a lawsuit after Ms MacMillan pulled out of a 1990 deal to sell the property to him for $7.2 million.

At a private Supreme Court hearing yesterday the parties agreed to go to trial.

The 7.25 acre island, at the mouth of Riddell's Bay in Southampton, holds pastel pink buildings, two pools, three docks with a covered boathouse, pool house, and a guest house set on sweeping lawns.