George Friend (1835 – 19 July 1898) was the third
Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives
The clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives is an officer of the New Zealand House of Representatives and is the principal officer (chief executive) of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Role
The clerk of the ...
("Clerk of the House"), serving in this office for 9 years from 1889. He held positions in the New Zealand
public service
A public service is any service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through public sector agencies ...
and Parliament for 45 years until his death at 63 years of age.
Family and arrival in New Zealand
Friend was born in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1835. He was the eldest son of George Friend, who was an official of the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, and later
Accountant-General for
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
Friend is reported to have boarded the ''Hamilla Mitchell'' in London on or about 6 August 1853, arriving in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
on 30 November 1853. He brought letters of introduction, which he presented to Sir
George Grey
Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Go ...
shortly before the end of his first term as
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
.
In 1865 Friend married Matilda Hynes. Their only child, daughter Catherine Maud (known as Maud), was born in Pipitia Street,
Thorndon on 15 April 1876. In February 1902 Maud became engaged to Vawdrey Baldwin, a solicitor from
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
. The couple were married on 24 September 1902. As Maud's father died in 1898,
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
Sir
Maurice O'Rorke
Sir George Maurice O’Rorke (2 May 1830 – 25 August 1916) was a New Zealand politician, representing (as George O’Rorke) the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed ...
gave the bride away.
Education and early career
Friend received his early education at a private school at
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the Mole Valley District of Surrey, England, about south of Central London. The settlement grew up beside a ford on the River Mole, from which its name is thought to derive. During the late Anglo-Saxon period, Leath ...
and then attended
King's College London
King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
, before entering
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
.
The year after Friend's arrival in New Zealand, the
Administrator of the Government
An administrator (administrator of the government or officer administering the government) in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a governor or a governor-general ...
Robert Wynyard
Robert Henry Wynyard (24 December 1802 – 6 January 1864) was a New Zealand colonial administrator, serving at various times as Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster Province, Administrator of the Government, and was the first Superintendent o ...
appointed him as an Extra Clerk in the
Colonial Secretary's (
Andrew Sinclair's) Department, with effect from 4 May 1854. In January 1855 Friend was transferred to the
Office of the Auditor General and, in June 1855, he was promoted to the position of Second Clerk.
From 1858 to 1863 Friend was the accountant for the Land Purchase Department and the
Native Minister's Office.
Parliamentary career
On 28 April 1862
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
Sir David Monro wrote to the
Colonial Secretary William Fox requesting that Fox inform
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
George Grey
Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Go ...
that he (Monro) recommended Friend to fill the vacancy of Clerk-Assistant to the House of Representatives (vice Henry William Tyler, who had resigned). Fox wrote a strongly worded letter back to Monro, objecting to him ''"claim
ngfor the Speaker the right of recommending this or any other appointment independently of the Responsible Ministers"''. Fox went on to state that Friend's workload meant that he could not at that time be released from his position as accountant for the Land Purchase Department and ''"some considerable time will probably elapse before Mr Friend's services can be dispensed with, should the Government then, in reference to other considerations, be prepared to acquiesce in your recommendation".''
Friend's appointment as Clerk-Assistant was eventually
gazetted
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
on 7 October 1864. The effective date of Friend's appointment as Clerk-Assistant is unclear (he may have been acting in this role for a short period before his official appointment). However he served as Clerk-Assistant to Clerk of the House
Major Campbell for at least 25 years, moving to
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
when Parliament relocated from
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
in 1865.
When, in 1889,
Major Campbell announced his retirement the
''Evening Post'' noted that ''"There can, we should think, and hope, be no doubt as to who Major Campbell's successor will be as Clerk to the House of Representatives. Everyone who is familiar with the House and its work will at once designate Mr. George Friend, the present Clerk Assistant, as the proper man to receive the promotion. Mr. Friend is a very old servant of the House, and has had charge of all its work in Committee of the Whole for upwards of a quarter of a century, occasionally also relieving Major Campbell in the chair at the table. He is thoroughly familiar with Parliamentary law and procedure, is a recognised authority on the history and precedents of the New Zealand Parliament, and he is a universal favourite with all with whom he is brought into official contact."''
Friend's appointment as Clerk of the House was
gazetted
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
on 14 November 1889, with effect from 1 October 1889. At the beginning of the fourth session of the
tenth Parliament Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
Sir
Maurice O'Rorke
Sir George Maurice O’Rorke (2 May 1830 – 25 August 1916) was a New Zealand politician, representing (as George O’Rorke) the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed ...
announced to the House that the
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
(William Hillier, Earl of Onslow) had accepted his recommendation that Friend be appointed as Clerk of the House.
Friend suffered ill-health during his term as Clerk of the House. In June 1893 he was reported to have been ''"very seriously ill... suffering from an internal inflammation"''. In December 1893 he was again reported to be seriously ill, suffering from an internal complaint and recovering from an operation. In June 1898, at the start of the third session of the
thirteenth Parliament Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
Sir
Maurice O'Rorke
Sir George Maurice O’Rorke (2 May 1830 – 25 August 1916) was a New Zealand politician, representing (as George O’Rorke) the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed ...
announced to the House that, on medical advice, he had granted Friend two months' ''"leave of absence, hoping that in that time a cure might be effected and health restored."''
Friend died in office on 19 July 1898, at 63 years of age, after serving the House for at least 34 years, including almost 9 years as Clerk of the House. He had served as Clerk of the House under two different
Speakers
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** In ...
:
Sir George Maurice O'Rorke and
Sir William Jukes Steward.
Other interests
In 1858 Friend was involved in establishing the Auckland Dispensary (a medical center for the ''"laboring class... who, in case of sickness, would, in many instances, be unable to obtain professional assistance for themselves or families"'') and he served as secretary for the management committee for a period from 1859.
Friend and
Francis Eastwood Campbell (the second Clerk of the House) were members of the management committee of the
Auckland Club, one of the first
gentlemen's clubs established in New Zealand.
After moving to Wellington in 1865, Friend owned both a house in
Thorndon (63 Thorndon Quay) and a large house on 13.75 acres of land (on which he kept horses) in
Karori
Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, 4 km from the city centre and is one of New Zealand's most populous suburbs, with a population of in
History Origins
The name ''Karori'' used ...
. The Karori house is believed to have been located at what is now 70 Friend Street.
In 1891 Friend was appointed as a
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
.
Death
Friend died at his home in
Thorndon at about 9am on 19 July 1898. The cause of death was reported as being ''"a glandular swelling, which developed into a painful tumour"''. Obituaries and reports of his large funeral were published in numerous newspapers.
Members paid tribute to Friend when his death was announced in the House that afternoon,
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
Sir
Maurice O'Rorke
Sir George Maurice O’Rorke (2 May 1830 – 25 August 1916) was a New Zealand politician, representing (as George O’Rorke) the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed ...
stating: ''"He was a most zealous and painstaking officer, and I could always rely with the fullest confidence upon the accuracy with which his work was performed"''. The House agreed a motion proposed by
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
Richard Seddon
Richard John Seddon (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the List of prime ministers of New Zealand, 15th Prime Minister of New Zealand, premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. ...
: ''"to record its high sense of the faithful services rendered to the House of Representatives during thirty-five years by the late Mr George Friend, as Clerk-Assistant and Clerk of the House of Representatives"''. As a mark of respect the House then adjourned without dealing with any further business. Friend's widow and daughter received a compassionate grant from the government of 900 pounds (about a year's salary).
Friend is buried at
Karori
Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, 4 km from the city centre and is one of New Zealand's most populous suburbs, with a population of in
History Origins
The name ''Karori'' used ...
(St Mary's) Churchyard.
[Burial Register 1872–1909, St Mary's Church, Karori, Wellington, National Library of NZ Ref: MSX-0942]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Friend, George
1835 births
1898 deaths
Clerks of the New Zealand House of Representatives
English emigrants to New Zealand