[2] Kent emigrated to New Zealand in 1909 and settled in Greymouth and established his own sign writer business.

He then became a member of the Greymouth High School board of governors for 24 years from 1923 to 1947 and was chairman of its finance committee from 1941 to 1942.

[2] Kent became a founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and was the Greymouth branch delegate to the Grey District Workers' Council.

[2] In 1947, Kent put himself forward as a candidate for the Labour Party nomination for the Westland electorate at a by-election after the death of James O'Brien.

After receiving medical advice Ware withdrew his candidacy and Kent was selected as his replacement as the Labour candidate.

Despite this he was not confident as an orator and seldom spoke for the full hour allotted to him in the house, a habit which earned him frequent heckling from National MPs.