HIGHBURY SCHOOL LOST PROPERTY BIN NOW DEEP ENOUGH TO REQUIRE 'ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT', PARENTS TOLD

The lost property bin at a Highbury primary school has been paused from further deposits after a teacher aide reached in for a lunchbox and came out with a sunhat last seen, per school records, in 2011.

PTA co-chair Rebecca Fothergill said the bin had been "a known issue" for terms. "You put your arm in for a drink bottle and you don't know what's coming back. Last week Amanda pulled out a jandal with a phone number on it in Vivid. The number no longer works."

Parent volunteer Damon Whareaitu said he'd offered to tip the whole thing onto the court and sort it. The offer was declined. "They said it needed a process. There's a subcommittee now. I'm on it. We've met twice and both times we talked about the bin without looking at the bin."

The deputy principal confirmed the bin had reached what she called "stratigraphic layers". A cardigan recovered from mid-depth still had a Countdown loyalty sticker on it from before the rebrand.

STATEMENT FROM COUNCIL

Palmerston North City Council is aware of community concerns regarding the lost property receptacle at the Highbury school site. It should be noted that lost property matters are, in the first instance, a school-level operational responsibility.

Council has been in preliminary correspondence with the Board of Trustees. A scoping exercise is understood to be underway. Timeframes will be communicated in due course.

While it has been suggested that the contents may be of heritage interest, Council wishes to clarify that no formal determination has been made, and any such determination would sit with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, not this office.

Council thanks the community for its ongoing patience and reminds parents that clearly naming belongings remains the most effective means of ensuring their return.