Section 8 On application of party chargeable, or on application of parliamentary agent, attorney, or solicitor, the taxing officer to tax the bill. No application to be entertained by taxing officer after judgement obtained.F2

If any person upon whom any demand shall be made by any parliamentary agent . . . . . . F1 or solicitor, or executor, administrator, or assignee of such parliamentary agent . . . . . . or solicitor, or other person, for any costs, charges, or expences in respect of any proceedings in the House of Commons in any future session of Parliament relating to any petition for a private bill, or private bill, or in respect of complying with the standing orders of the said House relative thereto, or in preparing, bringing in, or carrying the same through, or in opposing the same in, the House of Commons, or if any parliamentary agent . . . . . . or solicitor, or the executor, administrator, or assignee of such parliamentary agent . . . . . . or solicitor, or other person, who shall be aggrieved by the non-payment of any costs, charges, and expences incurred or charged by him in respect of any such proceedings as aforesaid, shall make application to the said taxing officer at his office for the taxation of such costs, charges, and expences, the said taxing officer, on receiving a true copy of the bill of such costs, charges, and expences which shall have been duly delivered as aforesaid to the party charged therewith, shall in due course proceed to tax and settle the same; and upon every such taxation, if either the parliamentary agent . . . . . . or solicitor, or the executor, administrator, or assignee of such parliamentary agent, . . . . . . or solicitor, or other person, by whom such demand shall be made as aforesaid, or the party charged with such bill of costs, charges, and expences, having due notice, shall refuse or neglect to attend such taxation, the said taxing officer may proceed to tax and settle such bill and demand ex parte; and if pending such taxation any action or other proceeding shall be commenced for the recovery of such bill of costs, charges, and expences, the court or judge before whom the same shall be brought shall stay all proceedings thereon until the amount of such bill shall have been duly certified by the Speaker as herein-after provided: Provided always, that no such application shall be entertained by the said taxing officer if made by the party charged with such bill after a judgment shall have been obtained F3. . . in any action for the recovery of the demand of any such parliamentary agent . . . . . . or solicitor, or the executor, administrator, or assignee of such parliamentary agent . . . . . . or solicitor, or other person, or after the expiration of six months after such bill shall have been delivered, sent, or left as aforesaid: Provided also, that if any such application shall be made after the expiration of six months as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the Speaker, if he shall so think fit, on receiving a report of special circumstances from the said taxing officer, to direct such bill to be taxed.