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Exhibit (a)
XXXXXXXX SERIES TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
(As amended through March 1, 1997)
This AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Boston, Massachusetts,
this 6th day of May, 1993 by the Trustees hereunder and by the holders of shares
of beneficial interest to be issued hereunder as hereinafter provided
WITNESSETH that
WHEREAS, this Trust has been formed to carry on the business of an
investment company; and
WHEREAS, the Trustee has agreed to manage all property coming into his
hands as trustee of a Massachusetts voluntary association with transferable
shares in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustee hereby declares that he will hold all cash,
securities and other assets, which they may from time to time acquire in any
manner as Trustee hereunder IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon the
following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to time
of Shares in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
NAME
Section 1. This Trust shall be known as "Xxxxxxxx Series Trust", and
the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any
other name as they may from time to time determine.
DEFINITIONS
Section 2. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the
context or specifically provided:
(a) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established
by this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to
time;
(b) "Trustees" refers to the Trustees of the Trust named herein or
elected in accordance with Article IV;
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(c) "Shares" means the equal proportionate transferable units of
interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be
divided from time to time or, if more than one series or class of
Shares is authorized by the Trustees, the equal proportionate
transferable units into which each series or class of Shares shall be
divided from time to time;
(d) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares;
(e) The "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(f) The terms "Affiliated Person", "Assignment", "Commission",
"Interested Person", "Principal Underwriter" and "Majority Shareholder
Vote" (the 67% or 50% requirement of the third sentence of Section
2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act, whichever may be applicable) shall have the
meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(g) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust as amended or restated from time to time;
(h) "Bylaws" shall mean the Bylaws of the Trust as amended from time to
time;
(i) The term "series" or "series of Shares" refers to the one or more
separate investment portfolios of the Trust into which the assets and
liabilities of the Trust may be divided and the Shares of the Trust
representing the beneficial interest of Shareholders in such respective
portfolios; and
(j) The term "class" or "class of Shares" refers to the division of
Shares representing any series into two or more classes as provided in
Article III, Section 1 hereof.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to provide investors a managed investment
primarily in securities, debt instruments and other instruments and rights of a
financial character.
ARTICLE III
Shares
DIVISION OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
Section 1. The Shares of the Trust shall be issued in one or more
series as the Trustees may, without shareholder approval, authorize. Each series
shall be preferred over all other series in respect of the assets allocated to
that series within the meaning of the 1940 Act and
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shall represent a separate investment portfolio of the Trust. The beneficial
interest in each series shall at all times be divided into Shares, without par
value, each of which shall, except as provided in the following sentence,
represent an equal proportionate interest in the series with each other Share of
the same series, none having priority or preference over another. The Trustees
may, without Shareholder approval, divide the Shares of any series into two or
more classes, Shares of each such class having such preferences and special or
relative rights and privileges (including conversion rights, if any) as the
Trustees may determine and as shall be set forth in the Bylaws. The number of
Shares authorized shall be unlimited. The Trustees may from time to time divide
or combine the Shares of any series or class into a greater or lesser number
without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in the series or
class.
OWNERSHIP OF SHARES
Section 2. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of
the Trust or a transfer or similar agent. No certificates certifying the
ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the Trustees may otherwise
determine from time to time. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider
appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, the transfer of Shares and
similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any
transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are
the Shareholders of each series and class and as to the number of Shares of each
series and class held from time to time by each Shareholder.
INVESTMENT IN THE TRUST
Section 3. The Trustees shall accept investments in the Trust from such
persons and on such terms and for such consideration, which may consist of cash
or tangible or intangible property or a combination thereof, as they or the
Bylaws from time to time authorize.
All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares
of each series, together with all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds
thereof, including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation
thereof, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such
proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to the
series of Shares with respect to which the same were received by the Trust for
all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so handled
upon the books of account of the Trust and are herein referred to as "assets of"
such series.
NO PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS
Section 4. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to
subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.
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STATUS OF SHARES AND LIMITATION OF PERSONAL LIABILITY
Section 5. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only
the rights provided in this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws. Every
Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have
expressly assented and agreed to the terms of this Declaration of Trust and the
Bylaws and to have become a party thereto. The death of a Shareholder during the
continuance of the Trust shall not operate to terminate the same nor entitle the
representative of any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any
action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but only to the
rights of said decedent under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle
the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any part of the Trust
property or right to call for a partition or division of the same or for an
accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders
partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent
of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any Shareholder, nor except
as specifically provided herein to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of
any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may
at any time personally agree to pay.
ARTICLE IV
The Trustees
ELECTION
Section 1. A Trustee may be elected either by the Trustees or by the
Shareholders. The number of Trustees shall be fixed from time to time by the
Trustees and, at or after the sale to the public of any shares of the Trust,
shall be not less than three. Each Trustee elected by the Trustees or the
Shareholders shall serve until he or she retires, resigns, is removed or dies or
until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing
Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or her successor. At
any meeting called for the purpose, a Trustee may be removed by vote of the
holders of two-thirds of the outstanding Shares. The initial Trustee, who shall
serve until the first meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are elected and
until his successor is elected and qualified, or until he sooner dies, resigns
or is removed, shall be E. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xx. and such other persons as the
Trustee or Trustees then in office shall, prior to any sale of Shares pursuant
to a public offering, appoint.
EFFECT OF DEATH, RESIGNATION, ETC. OF A TRUSTEE
Section 2. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal or
incapacity of the Trustees, or any one of them, shall not operate to annul the
Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this
Declaration of Trust.
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POWERS
Section 3. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the
business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they shall have all
powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may adopt Bylaws not inconsistent with this
Declaration of Trust providing for the conduct of the business of the Trust and
may amend and repeal them to the extent that such Bylaws do not reserve that
right to the Shareholders; they may fill vacancies in or add to their number,
and may elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as
they consider appropriate; they may appoint from their own number, and
terminate, any one or more committees consisting of two or more Trustees,
including an executive committee which may, when the Trustees are not in
session, exercise some or all of the power and authority of the Trustees as the
Trustees may determine; they may employ one or more custodians of the assets of
the Trust and may authorize such custodians to employ subcustodians and to
deposit all or any part of such assets in a system or systems for the central
handling of securities, retain a transfer agent or a Shareholder servicing
agent, or both, provide for the distribution of Shares by the Trust, through one
or more principal underwriters or otherwise, set record dates for the
determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters, and in general
delegate such authority as they consider desirable to any officer of the Trust,
to any committee of the Trustees, and to any agent or employee of the Trust or
to any such custodian or underwriter.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, and to hold cash uninvested;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, write
options on and lease any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(c) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with
respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and
deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons as the
Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such person or persons such
power and discretion with relation to securities or property as the
Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) To exercise powers and rights of subscription or otherwise which in
any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any
trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in
the name of the Trustees or of the Trust or in the name of a custodian,
subcustodian or other depositary or a nominee or nominees or otherwise;
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(f) Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 3, to allocate
assets, liabilities, income and expenses of the Trust to a particular
series of Shares or to apportion the same among two or more series,
provided that any liabilities or expenses incurred by or arising in
connection with a particular series of Shares shall be payable solely
out of the assets of that series; and to the extent necessary or
appropriate to give effect to the preferences and special or relative
rights and privileges of any classes of Shares, to allocate assets,
liabilities, income and expenses of a series to a particular class of
Shares of that series or to apportion the same among two or more
classes of Shares of that series;
(g) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer, any security of
which is or was held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease,
mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation or issuer,
and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security held in
the Trust;
(h) To join other security holders in acting through a committee,
depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to
deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such
committee, depositary or trustee, and to delegate to them such power
and authority with relation to any security (whether or not so
deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and to
agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and compensation
of such committee, depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem
proper;
(i) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or
against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not
limited to claims for taxes;
(j) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and
any other combinations or associations;
(k) To borrow funds;
(l) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other
obligations of any person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship,
or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof; and to mortgage and
pledge the Trust property or any part thereof to secure any of or all
such obligations;
(m) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property such
insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of
the business, including, without limitation, insurance policies
insuring the assets of the Trust and payment of distributions and
principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring
the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment
advisers or managers, principal underwriters, or independent
contractors of the Trust individually against all
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claims and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding,
being or having held any such office or position, or by reason of any
action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such person as
Shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser or
manager, principal underwriter, or independent contractor, including
any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute
negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify
such person against such liability; and
(n) To pay pensions for faithful service, as deemed appropriate by the
Trustees, and to adopt, establish and carry out pension,
profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other
retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions,
including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a
means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or all
of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or
future law or custom in regard to investments by trustees. Except as otherwise
provided herein or from time to time in the Bylaws, any action to be taken by
the Trustees may be taken by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of
the Trustees (a quorum being present), within or without Massachusetts,
including any meeting held by means of a conference telephone or other
communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same time and participation by such means
shall constitute presence in person at a meeting, or by written consents of a
majority of the Trustees then in office.
PAYMENT OF EXPENSES BY TRUST
Section 4. The Trustees are authorized to pay or to cause to be paid
out of the assets of the Trust all expenses, fees, charges, taxes, and
liabilities incurred or arising in connection with the Trust, or in connection
with the management thereof, including, but not limited to, the Trustees'
compensation and such expenses and charges for the services of the Trust's
officers, employees, investment adviser or manager, principal underwriter,
auditor, counsel, custodian, transfer agent, Shareholder servicing agent, and
such other agents or independent contractors and such other expenses and charges
as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur, provided, however, that
all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred by or arising in
connection with a particular series of Shares shall be payable solely out of the
assets of that series.
OWNERSHIP OF ASSETS OF THE TRUST
Section 5. Title to all of the assets of each series of Shares and of
the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees.
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ADVISORY, MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION
Section 6. Subject to a favorable Majority Shareholder Vote, the
Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or
nonexclusive advisory and/or management services with any corporation, trust,
association or other organization (the "Manager"), every such contract to comply
with such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws; and
any such contract may contain such other terms interpretive of or in addition to
said requirements and restrictions as the Trustees may determine, including,
without limitation, authority to determine from time to time what investments
shall be purchased, held, sold or exchanged and what portion, if any, of the
assets of the Trust shall be held uninvested and to make changes in the Trust's
investments. The Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time, contract
with the Manager or any other corporation, trust, association or other
organization, appointing it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or principal
underwriter for the Shares, every such contract to comply with such requirements
and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws; and any such contract may
contain such other terms interpretive of or in addition to said requirements and
restrictions as the Trustees may determine.
The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the Trust is a
shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee employee, manager,
adviser, principal underwriter or distributor or agent of or for any
corporation, trust, association, or other organization, or of or for
any parent or affiliate of any organization, with which an advisory or
management contract, or principal underwriter's or distributor's
contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other agency contract
may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such organization,
or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or has an interest
in the Trust, or that
(ii) any corporation, trust, association or other organization with
which an advisory or management contract or principal underwriter's or
distributor's contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other
agency contract may have been or may hereafter be made also has an
advisory or management contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or
other agency contract with one or more other corporations, trusts,
associations, or other organizations, or has other business or
interests
shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any
Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the
same or create any liability or accountability to the Trust or its Shareholders.
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ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
VOTING POWERS
Section 1. Subject to the voting powers of one or more classes of
Shares as set forth elsewhere in this Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws, the
Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election of Trustees as
provided in Article IV, Section 1, (ii) for the removal of Trustees as provided
in Article IV, Section 1, (iii) with respect to any Manager as provided in
Article IV, Section 6, (iv) with respect to any termination of this Trust to the
extent and as provided in Article IX, Section 4, (v) with respect to any
amendment of this Declaration of Trust to the extent and as provided in Article
IX, Section 7, (vi) to the same extent as the stockholders of a Massachusetts
business corporation as to whether or not a court action, proceeding or claim
should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action
on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders, and (vii) with respect to such
additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by this Declaration
of Trust, the Bylaws or any registration of the Trust with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees
may consider necessary or desirable. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one
vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share
shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote on any matter submitted to
a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall,
except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws, be voted in the aggregate as a
single class without regard to series or classes of shares, except (1) when
required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees shall have determined that the
matter affects one or more series or classes of Shares materially differently,
Shares shall be voted by individual series or class; and (2) when the Trustees
have determined that the matter affects only the interests of one or more series
or classes, then only Shareholders of such series or classes shall be entitled
to vote thereon. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of
Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect to
Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any
one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a
specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting
to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless
challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity
shall rest on the challenger. Until Shares of any series or class are issued,
the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action
required by law, this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws to be taken by
Shareholders as to such series or class.
VOTING POWER AND MEETINGS
Section 2. Meetings of Shareholders of any or all series or classes may
be called by the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking action
upon any matter requiring the vote or authority of the Shareholders of such
series or classes as herein provided or upon any other matter deemed by the
Trustees to be necessary or desirable. Written notice of any meeting of
Shareholders shall be given or caused to be given by the Trustees by mailing
such notice at least
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seven days before such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the time, place and
purpose of the meeting, to each Shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting at
the Shareholder's address as it appears on the records of the Trust. If the
Trustees shall fail to call or give notice of any meeting of Shareholders for a
period of 30 days after written application by Shareholders holding at least 10%
of the then outstanding shares of all series and classes entitled to vote at
such meeting requesting a meeting to be called for a purpose requiring action by
the Shareholders as provided herein or in the Bylaws, then Shareholders holding
at least 10% of the then outstanding Shares of all series and classes entitled
to vote at such meeting may call and give notice of such meeting, and thereupon
the meeting shall be held in the manner provided for herein in case of call
thereof by the Trustees. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any
Shareholder if a written waiver of notice, executed by him or her before or
after the meeting, is filed with the records of the meeting, or to any
Shareholder who attends the meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its
commencement the lack of notice to him or her.
QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE
Section 3. Thirty percent of Shares entitled to vote on a particular
matter shall be a quorum for the transaction of business on that matter at a
Shareholders' meeting, except that where any provision of law or of this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws requires that holders of any series or class
shall vote as an individual series or class, then thirty percent of the
aggregate number of Shares of that series or class entitled to vote shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by that series
or class. Any lesser number shall be sufficient for adjournments. Any adjourned
session or sessions may be held, within a reasonable time after the date set for
the original meeting, without the necessity of further notice. Except when a
larger vote is required by any provision of law or of this Declaration of Trust
or the Bylaws, a majority of the Shares voted shall decide any questions and a
plurality shall elect a Trustee, provided that where any provision of law or of
this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws requires that the holders of any series
or class shall vote as an individual series or class then a majority of the
Shares of that series or class voted on the matter (or a plurality with respect
to the election of a Trustee) shall decide that matter insofar as that series or
class is concerned.
ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT
Section 4. Any action taken by Shareholders may be taken without a
meeting if a majority of Shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such
larger proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws) consent to the action in writing and such
written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders.
Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of
Shareholders.
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ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
Section 5. The Bylaws may include further provisions, not inconsistent
with this Declaration of Trust, regarding Shareholders' voting powers, the
conduct of meetings and related matters.
ARTICLE VI
Distributions, Redemptions and Repurchases
DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 1. The Trustees may each year, or more frequently if they so
determine, distribute to the Shareholders of each series out of the assets of
such series such amounts as the Trustees may determine. Any such distribution to
the Shareholders of a particular series shall be made to said Shareholders pro
rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such series held by each of them,
except to the extent otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and
special or relative rights and privileges of any classes of Shares of that
Series, and any distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares
shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of
Shares of such class held by each of them. Such distributions shall be made in
cash, Shares or other property, or a combination thereof, as determined by the
Trustees. Any such distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net asset
value thereof as determined in accordance with the Bylaws.
REDEMPTIONS AND REPURCHASES
Section 2. The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any
Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation of any certificate for the
Shares to be purchased, a proper instrument of transfer and a request directed
to the Trust or a person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such
Shares, or in accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the
Trustees may from time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the
net asset value thereof, as next determined in accordance with the Bylaws, less
any redemption charge fixed by the Trustees. Payment for said Shares shall be
made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven days after the date on which
the request is made. The obligation set forth in this Section 2 is subject to
the provision that in the event that any time the New York Stock Exchange is
closed for other than customary weekends or holidays, or, if permitted by rules
of the Securities and Exchange Commission, during periods when trading on the
Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it impractical for
the Trust to dispose of its investments or to determine fairly the value of its
net assets, or during any other period permitted by order of the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the protection of investors, such obligation may be
suspended or postponed by the Trustees. The Trust may also purchase or
repurchase Shares at a price not exceeding the net asset value of such Shares in
effect when the purchase or repurchase or any contract to purchase or repurchase
is made.
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REDEMPTION AT THE OPTION OF THE TRUST
Section 3. The Trust shall have the right at its option and at any time
to redeem Shares of any Shareholder at the net asset value thereof as determined
in accordance with the Bylaws: (i) if at such time such Shareholder owns fewer
Shares than, or Shares having an aggregate net asset value of less than, an
amount determined from time to time by the Trustees; or (ii) to the extent that
such Shareholder owns Shares of a particular series of Shares equal to or in
excess of a percentage of the outstanding Shares of that series determined from
time to time by the Trustees; or (iii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns
Shares of the Trust representing a percentage equal to or in excess of such
percentage of the aggregate number of outstanding Shares of the Trust or the
aggregate net asset value of the Trust determined from time to time by the
Trustees.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
COMPENSATION
Section 1. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to reasonable
compensation from the Trust; they may fix the amount of their compensation.
Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee for
advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services
and payment for the same by the Trust.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Section 2. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event
for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, manager or
principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the
act or omission of any other Trustee, but nothing herein contained shall protect
any Trustee against any liability to which he or she would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and
every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the
Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be
conclusively deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to
their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or
Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
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ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, ETC.
Section 1. The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees and officers
(including persons who serve at the Trust's request as directors, officers or
trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a
shareholder, creditor or otherwise) (hereinafter referred to as a "Covered
Person") against all liabilities and expenses, including but not limited to
amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and
penalties, and counsel fees reasonably incurred by any Covered Person in
connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other
proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or
legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved
as a party or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or may have
been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having
been such a Covered Person except with respect to any matter as to which such
Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated in any such action, suit or
other proceeding (a) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that such Covered Person's action was in the best interest of the Trust or (b)
to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of such Covered Person's office. Expenses, including counsel fees so
incurred by any such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction
of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), shall be paid from time
to time by the Trust in advance of the final disposition of any such action,
suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such
Covered Person to repay amounts so paid to the Trust if it is ultimately
determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this
Article, provided, however, that either (a) such Covered Person shall have
provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (b) the Trust shall be
insured against losses arising from any such advance payments or (c) either a
majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a
majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter), or
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based
upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type
inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will be found
entitled to indemnification under this Article.
COMPROMISE PAYMENT
Section 2. As to any matter disposed of (whether by a compromise
payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an adjudication by a
court, or by any other body before which the proceeding was brought, that such
Covered Person either (a) did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief
that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust or (b) is liable
to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
his or her office, indemnification shall be provided if (a) approved as in the
best interests of the Trust, after notice that it involves such
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indemnification, by at least a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on
the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in
office act on the matter) upon a determination, based upon a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry) that such Covered
Person acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was
in the best interests of the Trust and is not liable to the Trust or its
Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office,
or (b) there has been obtained an opinion in writing of independent legal
counsel, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full
trial type inquiry) to the effect that such Covered Person appears to have acted
in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best
interests of the Trust and that such indemnification would not protect such
Covered Person against any liability to the Trust to which he or she would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or
her office. Any approval pursuant to this Section shall not prevent the recovery
from any Covered Person of any amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance
with this Section as indemnification if such Covered Person is subsequently
adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction not to have acted in good faith
in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best
interests of the Trust or to have been liable to the Trust or its Shareholders
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office.
INDEMNIFICATION NOT EXCLUSIVE
Section 3. The right of indemnification hereby provided shall not be
exclusive of or affect any other rights to which such Covered Person may be
entitled. As used in this Article VIII, the term "Covered Person" shall include
such person's heirs, executors and administrators and a "disinterested Trustee"
is a Trustee who is not an "interested person" of the Trust as defined in
Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (or who has been exempted from being an
"interested person" by any rule, regulation or order of the Securities and
Exchange Commission) and against whom none of such actions, suits or other
proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar
grounds is then or has been pending. Nothing contained in this Article shall
affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of the Trust, other than
Trustees or officers, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise
under law, nor the power of the Trust to purchase and maintain liability
insurance on behalf of any such person.
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 4. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be held
to be personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a
Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other
reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors,
administrators or other legal representative or in the case of a corporation or
other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be
held
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harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such
liability, but only out of the assets of the particular series of Shares of
which he or she is or was a Shareholder.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
TRUSTEES, SHAREHOLDERS, ETC. NOT PERSONALLY LIABLE; NOTICE
Section 1. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having
any claim against the Trust or a particular series of Shares shall look only to
the assets of the Trust or the assets of that particular series of Shares for
payment under such credit, contract or claim, and neither the Shareholders nor
the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether
past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor. Nothing in this
Declaration of Trust shall protect any Trustee against any liability to which
such Trustee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of the office of Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made
or issued by the Trustees or by any officer or officers shall give notice that
this Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall recite that the same was executed or
made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as Trustee or Trustees or as
officer or officers and not individually and that the obligations of such
instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but
are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust, and may contain such
further recital as he or she or they may deem appropriate, but the omission
thereof shall not operate to bind any Trustee or Trustees or officer or officers
or Shareholder or Shareholders individually.
TRUSTEE'S GOOD FAITH ACTION, EXPERT ADVICE, NO BOND OR SURETY
Section 2. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions
hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable
for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and
for nothing else. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with
respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust, and shall be
under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for
failing to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required to give any
bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
LIABILITY OF THIRD PERSONS DEALING WITH TRUSTEE
Section 3. No person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make
any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the
Trustees or to see to the application of any payments made or property
transferred to the Trust or upon its order.
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DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
Section 4. Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall
continue without limitation of time. The Trust may be terminated at any time by
vote of Shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the Shares of each series
entitled to vote or by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders. Any
series of Shares may be terminated at any time by vote of Shareholders holding
at least two-thirds of the Shares of such series entitled to vote or by the
Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of such series. Upon termination
of the Trust or of any one or more series of Shares, after paying or otherwise
providing for all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or
accrued or anticipated, of the Trust or of the particular series as may be
determined by the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with such procedures
as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets to
distributable form in cash or shares or other property, or any combination
thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the series involved,
ratably according to the number of Shares of such series held by the several
Shareholders of such series on the date of termination, except to the extent
otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or relative
rights and privileges of any classes of Shares of that series, provided that any
distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares shall be made
to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such
class held by each of them.
FILING AND COPIES, REFERENCES, HEADINGS
Section 5. The original or a copy of this instrument and of each
amendment hereto shall be kept at the office of the Trust where it may be
inspected by any Shareholder. A copy of this instrument and of each amendment
hereto shall be filed by the Trust with the Secretary of State of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and with the Boston City Clerk, as well as any
other governmental office where such filing may from time to time be required.
Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the
Trust as to whether or not any such amendments have been made and as to any
matters in connection with the Trust hereunder, and, with the same effect as if
it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to
be a copy of this instrument or of any such amendments. In this instrument and
in any such amendment, references to this instrument and all expressions like
"herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer to this instrument
as amended or affected by any such amendments. Headings are placed herein for
convenience of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control
or affect the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument. This
instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be
deemed an original.
APPLICABLE LAW
Section 6. This Declaration of Trust is made in The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, and it is created under and is to be governed by and construed
and administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth. The Trust shall be
of the type commonly called a Massachusetts
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business trust and, without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust may
exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by such a trust.
AMENDMENTS
Section 7. This Declaration of Trust may be amended at any time by an
instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees when authorized
to do so by vote of Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to
vote, except that an amendment which in the determination of the Trustees shall
affect the holders of one or more series or classes of Shares but not the
holders of all outstanding series and classes shall be authorized by vote of the
Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to vote of each series
and class affected and no vote of Shareholders of a series or class not affected
shall be required. Amendments having the purpose of changing the name of the
Trust or of supplying any omission, curing any ambiguity or curing, correcting,
or supplementing any defective or inconsistent provision contained herein shall
not require authorization by Shareholders' vote.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand and seal
in the City of Boston, Massachusetts for himself and his assigns, as of the day
and year first above written.
/s/ E. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.
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E. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Suffolk, ss. Boston,
Then personally appeared the above named E. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xx. and
acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed, before me,
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Notary Public
My Commission Expires: 5/25/95
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