[13] The year after Friend's arrival in New Zealand, the Administrator of the Government Robert Wynyard appointed him as an Extra Clerk in the Colonial Secretary's (Andrew Sinclair's) Department, with effect from 4 May 1854.

[16][17][18] On 28 April 1862 Speaker Sir David Monro wrote to the Colonial Secretary William Fox requesting that Fox inform Governor George Grey 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[ing] for the Speaker the right of recommending this or any other appointment independently of the Responsible Ministers".

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.

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.

[29][30] In June 1898, at the start of the third session of the thirteenth Parliament Speaker Sir Maurice O'Rorke 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.

In 1858 Friend was involved in establishing the Auckland Dispensary (a medical centre for the "laboring class... who, in case of sickness, would, in many instances, be unable to obtain professional assistance for themselves or families"[32]) and he served as secretary for the management committee for a period from 1859.

[48][49][50][51] Members paid tribute to Friend when his death was announced in the House that afternoon, Speaker Sir Maurice O'Rorke 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".