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He tāone mira rākau hou, tāone ā-iwi maha, kākanorua kē nei a Kawerau, e nōhia ana e ngā iwi katoa. I tīmata te āwhina a Mere rāua ko Mōnita i te mahi whakatū karapu whutupaoro, tēnehi, netipōro, me te hāpai hoki i ngā mahi tautoko i te pāpori, i te hauora, me te mahi toko i te ora anō hoki.
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In 1956 the family moved to Kawerau, where Monita entered into partnership in a dry-cleaning business. Kawerau was a new timber-milling town, multi-national, bicultural and pan-iwi, and Monita and Mary helped to pioneer rugby, tennis and netball clubs and social, health, and welfare services. Monita was supportive of all newcomers to Kawerau, and assisted the Maori ones to build a community centre. They called it Rautahi (100 tribes in one). The Ringatu church held its services on the marae and Monita was an elder in the faith, teaching and conducting church services, burials, marriages and blessings. In 1974 he organised and initiated the building of the carved meeting house Te Aotahi, which was opened in 1985. In 1961 he was appointed a justice of the peace and from 1971 to 1980 he served on the Kawerau Borough Council.
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