The children of a Mid North school rebuilt after a devastating fire have suffered another blow - this time when their brand-new shade sails vanished overnight.
The disappearance came just as summer weather started, leaving the 84 children at Moerewa's Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Taumarere with only a tree for
shelter.
The shade sails were part of a new block of classrooms opened in July to replace those destroyed in an arson attack two years earlier.
Because they vanished late on Tuesday night the school assumed the sails had been stolen and called the police. Reality, however, turns out to be more peculiar.
It appears they were in fact re-possessed in a disagreement between two firms involved in building the new block.
Board of trustees chair Kauimua Kaka said whoever removed the sails did so "in the middle of the night" and without warning. The school had no idea anything was amiss.
"We made the assumption they had been stolen so we contacted the police - now we feel we have to apologise to the community for even thinking they'd been stolen."
It was only when the project manager contacted the school that the shade sails' fate became clear.
Mr Kaka said the school had fulfilled its obligations and the dispute between the two firms was not of its making.
It was unfair to give the school "a clip around the ears" for something it had no control over, he said.
Taking the sails without notice violated the mana of the school, and affected the wairua (spirit) of its children.
The company which supplied and then removed the sails, Shade Systems of Dargaville, referred the Advocate to its lawyer, who did not return calls yesterday.
Lead contractor Kerikeri Construction said the situation had arisen due to a "misunderstanding over payment".
Spokesman Iain Carruthers said it had since been resolved and he expected the sails would be returned promptly. He was disappointed with what had happened.
Mr Kaka said he would believe the assurances only once the sails were back up.
