Human remains found at a building site on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf are historic and not suspicious, police say.
Site manager Bruce Sciascia said a contractor found what appears to be femur and pelvis bones yesterday while removing old water tanks. The bones were buried about 1 metre deep.
Detectives and forensic specialists have been at the site since yesterday and have confirmed that the bones are pre-European.
Local iwi performed a blessing at the site this morning.
Mr Sciascia said it is the first time he has encountered human bones in 30 years of building on the island.
