In any city affected by the provisions of this act, in all civil jury trials in which the jury disagrees and is discharged by the judge, either party may on motion and notice to the opposite party request the entry of judgment upon the evidence and proofs taken, within 7 days after the discharge of such jury, and if the judge before whom such case was tried shall decide as a matter of law that a verdict should have been directed for either party, he shall enter judgment accordingly.