The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1888.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5267, 10 July 1888, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1888.

Vicxoeia is prospering beca\ise for the last fow years English capital has been pouring in for investment. Much of tho money has been entrusted to Messrs Bent and Fink, who havo dealt largely, not only in Melbourne city properties, but have also embraced in their operations country lands as well. The result has been a land boom in Victoria that has had no parallel in tho history of that colony, and apparently has not yet been exhausted, it is said—and we hope it may bo true—that New Zealand is to be the next scene of operations. Much of our country land is already too high, hut in tho oitios and larger towns there ought to bo plenty of scope for British capital, for tho investors do not look for an equal roturn to what colonists expect. Should they_ invest largely, it would freo colonial capital, and would thus benefit many enterprises which at present are languishing for tho want of funds. Messrs Bent and Fink thomsclves arc splendid illustrations of what miiy happen to men in the colonies. No two men wero over moro unlike. Mr Bent is dark and burly, an Australian born, rough and ready, blunt and honest. Mr Fink is a Jew, slight and fair, aud just tho very man to entrust with a delicate mission. Both are alike men of sterling character. Of Mr Bent an amusing instance of his straight hitting may bu mentioned. When Minister of Railways he was interviewed by v member of tho unemployed. Tho latter used very strong language, which the Minister resented, with the result thai, the unemployed ono made tracks, whilo the Minister, in his shirt sleeves, followed him down Bourltestreet. Mr Bent was an unknown man until early iutlio seventies, when he beat the Hon. George Higinbotham—now Chief Justice of Victoria—for Brighton. Mr Bout Jbad been a rato colleotor, previous to that Jwing been a market gardener. Mr Higiribothain was the ivorst electioneering agentover known. Hβ made his speeches, and then looked to tho electors to roturn him, if they desired him to represent them in Parliament. Tho other canvassed vigorously, and won the election by come tweuty votes. Since* then overy tiling Mr Bent has touched has turned to gold. He was tho best whip known in tho Parliamentary history of his colony, and ho was largely instrumental in briugiug about the dowufall of Mr Graham Berry. In the short-lived Service Ministry ho was Cominiittiioncr of Public Works, and later on was Commissioner of Railways in the O'Loghlcn Ministry, an Administration kept in power for nearly two years by two opposing parties, neither of whom, singly, whs strong enough to turn them out. His enemies alleged that Mr Bent waa guilty of jobbery, but that was only an innuendo, of which thoro was no proof, aud it is a straugo thing that those who have once been friends of Mr Bent have ever remained m, while ho himself has never forgotten a friend. Mr Fink began life as a junior salesman iv the furniture warehouse of Wallach Brothers at thirty ehillinge per week, rose gradually to be a partner, and at length becatno solo proprietor of the business both in Melbourne and Sydney, while now ho holds a controlling—if not the sole— interest in three of the largest furniture warehouses in Victoria. Mr Bent and ho are on different aides in politics, hut in financial matters they work together, and two so dissimilar men may bo i-aid eaoli to bo the complement of iho other. Mr Fink, for tho Constitutional party, led an almost forlorn hope at Maryborough, but surprised his best friends by winning the seat, which ho has ever since retained. Ho has now become the chairman of directorit of the Mercantile and Finance Association, which declared a fifty per cent, dividend the other day, but which is not, as some Australian newspaper correspondcuts would make out, a company of two years' standing, for iv its prosont form it hus been in existence for more than seven years. To these two mou, whoso enrcers wo havo briefly sketched, much of Victoria's present prosperity is duo, and should they aid us in lifting our depression, whilo benefiting themselves and their principals, wo will owe them much. So far they havo in tho other colony conducted euormo'us financial transactions, with a Vsucccue bordering on the marvellous, and wo can only wish them a corresponding success iv Now Zealand.