Private Bill Procedure Act [Chapter 2:07]

PRIVATE BILL PROCEDURE ACT
Acts 11/1924, 2/1925, 24/1962 (s. 2), 11/1991 (s. 3); R.G.N 387/1971; S.I. 418/80.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I
PRELIMINARY
Section
1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
PART II
CARE, CUSTODY AND INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED FOR PRIVATE BILLS
3. Designation of depositaries.
4. Duties of depositaries.
5. Penalty.
PART III
TAXATION OFCOSTS IN RESPECT OFPROMOTION OF, OR OPPOSITION TO, PRIVATE BILLS
6. Appointment of taxing officers by Speaker.
7. Preparation of scale of charges.
8. When opponents entitled to recover costs.
9. When promoters entitled to recover costs.
10. Taxing officer to tax Bills on application of party chargeable or others.
11. Taxing officer to report to Speaker on taxation and objections.
12. Taxing officer may examine parties and others on oath and call for books and papers.
13. What fees to be taken by taxing officer.
AN ACT to provide for the care, custody and inspection of documents deposited with Parliament
for the purpose of private bills to be introduced therein; and to provide further for the taxation of
costs incurred in the promotion of, or opposition to, such private Bills.
[Date of commencement: 11th July, 1924]
PART I
PRELIMINARY
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Private Bill Procedure Act [Chapter 2:07].
2 Interpretation
In this Act—
“depositary” means any person to whom is assigned, in terms of section three, the duty of receiving documents;
“depositor” means any person whose duty it is, in accordance with the Standing Orders, to deposit any documents
in Parliament in relation to any private Bills to be introduced therein, and includes the duly
authorized agent of any such person;
“document” means any map, diagram, plan, section, book or writing or any copy thereof or extract therefrom;
“petitioner” means any person who may present a petition against a private Bill or against any provision or
statement therein;
“private Bill’’ means a private Bill as defined in the Standing Orders;
“promoter” means any person whose name appears on any petition or private Bill as promoting the same;
“Standing Orders’’ means the Standing Orders governing private Bills;
“taxing officer” means the taxing officer appointed in terms of section six.
PART II
CARE, CUSTODY AND INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED FOR PRIVATE BILLS
3 Designation of depositaries
The Speaker may, by notice published in the Gazette under the hand of the Secretary to Parliament, assign to
any person the duty of receiving all documents which, in pursuance of the Standing Orders, are required to be
deposited in relation to any private Bill of the intended introduction of which due public notice has been given.
4 Duties of depositaries
(1) When any depositor presents any document to a depositary, the depositary shall take charge of the same
and give to the depositor a receipt therefor in the form prescribed by the Standing Orders.
(2) The depositary shall make due provision for the care and custody of any document presented in terms of
subsection (1) and shall, during office hours, permit any interested person to inspect the same or to make copies of
the whole or any part thereof.
5 Penalty
Any neglect or refusal by a depositary to carry out any provision of section four shall be deemed to be a contempt
of Parliament, and shall render the offender liable to be dealt with in the same manner as a person who has
committed a contempt under the Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act [Chapter 2:08] or under the
Standing Orders.
PART III
TAXATION OFCOSTS IN RESPECT OFPROMOTION OF, OR OPPOSITION TO, PRIVATE BILLS
6 Appointment of taxing officers by Speaker
(1) The Speaker shall appoint a fit person to be the taxing officer, who shall hold his office during the pleasure
of the Speaker and execute the duties thereof in accordance with such directions as he may receive from the
Speaker.