EXHIBIT 23(h)
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
between
CENTURY SHARES TRUST
and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Article 1 Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank........................1
Article 2 Fees and Expenses...............................................5
Article 3 Representations and Warranties of the Bank......................5
Article 4 Representations and Warranties of the Fund......................6
Article 5 Data Access and Proprietary Information.........................7
Article 6 Indemnification.................................................9
Article 7 Standard of Care...............................................11
Article 8 Covenants of the Fund and the Bank.............................11
Article 9 Termination of Agreement.......................................12
Article 10 Assignment.....................................................13
Article 11 Amendment......................................................13
Article 12 Massachusetts Law to Apply.....................................13
Article 13 Force Majeure..................................................13
Article 14 Consequential Damages..........................................14
Article 15 Merger of Agreement............................................14
Article 16 Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders......14
Article 17 Counterparts...................................................14
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of November, 1993, by and between
CENTURY SHARES TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust, having its principal
office and place of business at Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
(the "Fund"), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust
company having its principal office and place of business at 000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 (the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to appoint the Bank as its transfer agent,
dividend disbursing agent, custodian of certain retirement plans and agent in
connection with certain other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such
appointment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Article 1 Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank
1.01 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
the Fund hereby employs and appoints the Bank to act as, and the Bank agrees to
act as its transfer agent for the Fund's authorized and issued shares of its
beneficial interest ("Shares"), dividend disbursing agent, custodian of certain
retirement plans and agent in connection with any accumulation, open-account or
similar plans provided to the shareholders of the Fund ("Shareholders") and set
out in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional
information ("prospectus") of the Fund, including without limitation any
periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal program.
1.02 The Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time
by agreement between the Fund and the Bank, the Bank shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance orders for the purchase of Shares
(by way of direct purchase or reinvestment of income
dividend or capital gain distributions), and promptly
deliver payment and appropriate documentation thereof to
the Custodian of the Fund authorized pursuant to the
Declaration of Trust of the Fund (the "Custodian");
(ii) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate
number of Shares and hold such Shares in the appropriate
Shareholder account;
(iii) Receive for acceptance redemption requests and
redemption directions and deliver the appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian;
(iv) In respect to the transactions in items (i), (ii) and
(iii) above, the Bank shall execute transactions
directly with broker-dealers authorized by the Fund who
shall thereby be deemed to be acting on behalf of the
Fund;
(v) At the appropriate time as and when it receives monies
paid to it by the Custodian with respect to any
redemption, pay over or cause to be paid over in the
appropriate manner such monies as instructed by the
redeeming Shareholders;
(vi) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners
thereof upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(vii) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and
distributions declared by the Fund;
(viii) Issue replacement certificates for those certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed upon
receipt by the Bank of indemnification satisfactory to
the Bank and protecting the Bank and the Fund, and the
Bank at its option, may issue replacement certificates
in place of mutilated stock certificates upon
presentation thereof and without such indemnity;
(ix) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund and
its Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(x) Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and maintain
pursuant to SEC Rule l7Ad-l0(e) a record of the total
number of shares of the Fund which are authorized, based
upon data provided to it by the Fund, and issued and
outstanding. The Bank shall also provide the Fund on a
regular basis with the total number of shares which are
authorized and issued and outstanding and shall have no
obligation, when recording the issuance of shares, to
monitor the issuance of such shares or to take
cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale of
such shares, which functions shall be the sole
responsibility of the Fund.
(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of
the services set forth in the above paragraph (a), the Bank shall: (i)
perform the customary services of a transfer agent, dividend disbursing
agent, custodian of certain retirement plans and, as relevant, agent in
connection with accumulation, open-account or similar plans (including
without limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal
program), including but not limited to: maintaining all Shareholder
accounts, preparing Shareholder meeting lists, mailing proxies, mailing
Shareholder reports and prospectuses to current Shareholders,
withholding taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts,
preparing and filing all required U.S. Treasury Department Forms with
respect to Shareholder accounts and activity therein, including,
without limitation, U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other
appropriate forms required with respect to dividends and distributions
by federal authorities for all Shareholders, preparing and mailing
confirmation forms and statements of account to Shareholders for all
purchases and redemptions of Shares and other confirmable transactions
in Shareholder accounts, preparing and mailing activity statements for
Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account information and (ii)
provide a system which will enable the Fund to monitor the total number
of Shares sold in each State.
(c) In addition, the Fund shall (i) identify to the Bank in
writing those transactions and assets to be treated as exempt from blue
sky reporting for each State and (ii) verify the establishment of
transactions for each State on the system prior to activation and
thereafter monitor the daily activity for each State. The
responsibility of the Bank for the Fund's blue sky State registration
status is solely limited to the initial establishment of transactions
subject to blue sky compliance by the Fund and the reporting of such
transactions to the Fund as provided above.
(d) Procedures as to who shall provide certain of these
services in Article 1 may be established from time to time by agreement
between the Fund and the Bank in accordance with the attached service
responsibility schedule. The Bank may at times perform only a portion
of these services and the Fund or its agent may perform these services
on the Fund's behalf.
The Bank shall provide additional services on behalf of the Fund (e.g.,
escheatment services) which may be agreed upon in writing between the Fund and
the Bank.
Article 2 Fees and Expenses
2.01 For performance by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund
agrees to pay the Bank an annual maintenance fee for each Shareholder account as
set out in the initial fee schedule attached hereto. Such fees and out-of-pocket
expenses and advances identified under Section 2.02 below may be changed from
time to time subject to mutual written agreement between the Fund and the Bank.
2.02 In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.01 above, the Fund
agrees to reimburse the Bank for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including
but not limited to confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone,
microfilm, microfiche, tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred
by the Bank for the items set out in the fee schedule attached hereto. In
addition, any other reasonable expenses incurred by the Bank at the request or
with the consent of the Fund, will be reimbursed by the Fund.
2.03 The Fund agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within
five days following the receipt of the respective billing notice. Postage for
mailing of dividends, proxies, Fund reports and other mailings to all
shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Bank by the Fund at least seven
(7) days prior to the mailing date of such materials.
Article 3 Representations and Warranties of the Bank
The Bank represents and warrants to the Fund that:
3.01 It is a trust company duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.02 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
3.03 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and
By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.04 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize
it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.05 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary
facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under
this Agreement.
Article 4 Representations and Warranties of the Fund
The Fund represents and warrants to the Bank that:
4.01 It is a business trust duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of Massachusetts.
4.02 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of
Trust to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.03 All proceedings required by said Declaration of Trust have been
taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.04 It is an open-end and diversified management investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.05 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, is currently effective and will remain effective, and appropriate state
securities law filings have been made and will continue to be made, with respect
to all Shares of the Fund being offered for sale.
Article 5 Data Access and Proprietary Information
5.01 The Fund acknowledges that the data bases, computer programs,
screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation
manuals furnished to the Fund by the Bank as part of the Fund's ability to
access certain Fund-related data ("Customer Data") maintained by the Bank on
data bases under the control and ownership of the Bank or other third party
("Data Access Services") constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other
proprietary information (collectively, "Proprietary Information") of substantial
value to the Bank or other third party. In no event shall Proprietary
Information be deemed Customer Data. The Fund agrees to treat all Proprietary
Information as proprietary to the Bank and further agrees that it shall not
divulge any Proprietary Information to any person or organization except as may
be provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, the Fund agrees for
itself and its employees and agents:
(a) to access Customer Data solely from locations as may be
designated in writing by the Bank and solely in accordance with the
Bank's applicable user documentation;
(b) to refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the
Proprietary Information;
(c) to refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any
portion of the Proprietary Information, and if such access is
inadvertently obtained, to inform in a timely manner of such fact and
dispose of such information in accordance with the Bank's instructions;
(d) to refrain from causing or allowing third-party data
acquired hereunder to be retransmitted to any other computer facility
or other location, except with the prior written consent of the Bank;
(e) that the Fund shall have access only to those authorized
transactions agreed upon by the parties;
(f) to honor all reasonable written requests made by the Bank
to protect at the Bank's expense the rights of the Bank in Proprietary
Information at common law, under federal copyright law and under other
federal or state law.
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of
their obligations pursuant to this Article 5. The obligations of this Article
shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
5.02 If the Fund notifies the Bank that any of the Data Access Services
do not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user
documentation for such services, the Bank shall endeavor in a timely manner to
correct such failure. Organizations from which the Bank may obtain certain data
included in the Data Access Services are solely responsible for the contents of
such data and the Fund agrees to make no claim against the Bank arising out of
the contents of such third-party data, including, but not limited to, the
accuracy thereof. DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS IS, AS
AVAILABLE BASIS. THE BANK EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE
EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
5.03 If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to
originate electronic instructions to the Bank in order to (i) effect the
transfer or movement of cash or Shares or (ii) transmit Shareholder information
or other information, then in such event the Bank shall be entitled to rely on
the validity and authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any
further inquiry as long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with
security procedures established by the Bank from time to time.
Article 6 Indemnification
6.01 The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall
indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from and against, any and all losses,
damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and
liability arising out of or attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Bank or its agent or subcontractors
required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such
actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful
misconduct.
(b) The Fund's lack of good faith, negligence or willful
misconduct which arise out of the breach of any representation or
warranty of the Fund hereunder.
(c) The reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or
subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which (i)
are received by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors, and (ii) have
been prepared, maintained or performed by the Fund or any other person
or firm on behalf of the Fund including but not limited to any previous
transfer agent or registrar.
(d) The reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its
agents or subcontractors of, any instructions or requests of the Fund.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement
under the federal securities laws or regulations or the securities laws
or regulations of any state or in violation of any stop order or other
determination or ruling by any federal agency or any state with respect
to the offer or sale of such Shares in such state.
6.02 At any time the Bank may apply to any trustee or officer of the
Fund for instructions, and may consult with legal counsel with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Bank under
this Agreement, and the Bank and its agents or subcontractors shall not be
liable and shall be indemnified by the Fund for any action taken or omitted by
it in reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel. The
Bank, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected arid indemnified in
acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on behalf of the Fund
reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person
or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents
provided the Bank or its agents or subcontractors by machine readable input,
telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized by the Fund, and shall
not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person until
receipt of written notice thereof from the Fund. The Bank, its agents and
subcontractors shall also be protected and indemnified in recognizing stock
certificates which are reasonably believed to bear the proper manual or
facsimile signatures of the officers of the Fund, and the proper
countersignature of any former transfer agent or former registrar, or of a
co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
6.03 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this
Article 6 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which the Fund may be
required to indemnify the Bank, the Bank shall promptly notify the Fund of such
assertion, and shall keep the Fund advised with respect to all developments
concerning such claim. The Fund shall have the option to participate with the
Bank in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own
name or in the name of the Bank, in which latter event the Fund shall not be
responsible for legal or other expenses of defense incurred by the Bank. The
Bank shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in
which the Fund may be required to indemnify the Bank except with the Fund's
prior written consent.
Article 7 Standard of Care
7.01 The Bank shall at all times act in good faith and agrees to use
its best efforts within reasonable limits to insure the accuracy of all services
performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall riot be
liable for loss or damage due to errors unless said errors are caused by its
negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of its employees.
Article 8 Covenants of the Fund and the Bank
8.01 The Fund shall promptly furnish to the Bank the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Trustees of the
Fund authorizing the appointment of the Bank and the execution and
delivery of this Agreement.
(b) A copy of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund and all
amendments thereto.
8.02 The Bank hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and
procedures reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any;
and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such certificates,
forms and devices.
8.03 The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be
performed hereunder in such form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the
extent required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
and the Rules thereunder, the Bank agrees that all such records prepared or
maintained by the Bank relating to the services to be performed by the Bank
hereunder are the property of the Fund and will be preserved, maintained and
made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and will be
surrendered promptly to the Fund on and in accordance with its request. The Bank
shall perform all services hereunder in full compliance with all applicable laws
and regulations, including (without limitation) those set forth in or adopted
pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
8.04 The Bank and the Fund agree that all books, records, information
and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged or
received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall
remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person,
except as may be required by law.
8.05 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
Shareholder records of the Fund, the Bank will endeavor to notify the Fund and
to secure instructions from a trustee or an authorized officer of the Fund as to
such inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to exhibit the
Shareholder records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it
may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such
person.
Article 9 Termination of Agreement
9.01 This Agreement may be terminated by either party hundred twenty
(120) days written notice to the other.
9.02 Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket
expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be borne by
the Fund. Additionally, the Bank reserves the right to charge for any other
reasonable expenses associated with such termination.
Article 10 Assignment
10.01 Except as provided in Section 10.03 below, neither this Agreement
nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without
the written consent of the other party.
10.02 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
10.03 The Bank may, without further consent on the part of the Fund,
subcontract for the performance hereof with (i) Boston Financial Data Services,
Inc., a Massachusetts corporation ("BFDS") which is duly registered as a
transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c) (1) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended ("Section 17A(c)(l)"), (ii) a BFDS subsidiary duly registered
as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c) (1) or (iii) a BFDS affiliate so
registered; provided, however, that the Bank shall be as fully responsible to
the Fund for the acts and omissions of any subcontractor as it is for its own
acts and omissions. Article 11 Amendment
11.01 This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution of the
Trustees of the Fund.
Article 12 Massachusetts Law to Apply
12.01 This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
Article 13 Force Majeure
13.01 In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations
under the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment or
transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or other causes
reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not be liable to the other for
any damages resulting from such failure to perform or otherwise from such
causes.
Article 14 Consequential Damages
14.01 Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other
party for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for any
consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder.
Article 15 Merger of Agreement
15.01 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject
matter hereof whether oral or written.
Article 16 Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders
16.01 A copy of this Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust is
on file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is
hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the
Trust as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this
instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or Shareholders individually
but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
Article 17 Counterparts
17.01 This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any
number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be
deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized
officers, as of the day and year first above written.
CENTURY SHARES TRUST
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx.
------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx.
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx.
----------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx.
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Executive Vice President
