EXHIBIT 1
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XXXXX XXX INSTITUTIONAL TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Boston,
Massachusetts, this 31st day of July, 1996 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 Trustees have agreed to manage all property
coming into their hands as trustees of a Massachusetts
business trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter
set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they
will hold all cash, securities and other assets, which they
may from time to time acquire in any manner as Trustees
hereunder, IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon
the following terms and conditions for the pro rata 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 "Xxxxx Xxx
Institutional 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.
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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 Trustee or Trustees of the
Trust named herein or elected in accordance with Article IV;
(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 of Shares is authorized by the Trustees, the equal
proportionate units into which each series of Shares shall be
divided from time to time or, if more than one class of
Shares of any series is authorized by the Trustees, the equal
proportionate units into which each class of such series 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; and
(h) "By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as
amended from time to time.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Trust is to engage in the business of
a management investment company and to provide investors a
managed investment primarily in securities, commodities and
debt instruments.
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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. 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 or
special or relative rights or privileges (including
conversion rights, if any) as the Trustees may determine and
as are not inconsistent with any provision of this
Declaration of Trust. Each series shall be preferred over
all other series in respect of the assets allocated to that
series. The beneficial interest in each series shall at all
times be divided into Shares, without par value, each of
which shall, except as the Trustees may otherwise authorize
in the case of any series that is divided into two or more
classes, represent an equal proportionate interest in the
series with each other Share of the same series, none having
priority or preference over another. The number of Shares
authorized shall be unlimited, and the Shares so authorized
may be represented in part by fractional shares. 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
interests in the series or class.
Ownership of Shares
Section 2. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on
the books of the Trust or its 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 of the Trust, 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.
Investments in the Trust; Assets of the Series
Section 3. The Trustees may accept investments in the
Trust from such persons and on such terms and, subject to any
requirements of law, for such consideration, which may
consist of cash or tangible or intangible property or a
combination thereof, as they 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
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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 receive, purchase or subscribe for any
additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.
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 instrument.
Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder
shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the
terms hereof and to have become a party hereto. 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.
Derivative Claims
Section 6. No Shareholder shall have the right to bring
or maintain any court action, proceeding or claim on behalf
of this Trust or any series without first making demand on
the Trustees requesting the Trustees to bring or maintain
such action, proceeding or claim. Such demand shall be
excused only when the plaintiff makes a specific showing that
irreparable injury to the Trust or series would otherwise
result. Such demand shall be mailed to the Secretary of the
Trust at the Trust's principal office and shall set forth in
reasonable detail the nature of the proposed court action,
proceeding or claim and the essential facts relied upon by
the Shareholder to support the allegations made in the
demand. The Trustees shall consider such demand within 45
days of its receipt by the Trust. In their sole discretion,
the Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders
of the Trust or series, as appropriate. Any decision by the
Trustees to bring, maintain or settle (or not to bring,
maintain or settle) such court action, proceeding or claim,
or to submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders shall be
made by the Trustees in their business judgment and shall be
binding upon the Shareholders.
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ARTICLE IV
THE TRUSTEES
Election; Removal
Section 1. The number of Trustees shall be fixed by the
Trustees, except that, subsequent to any sale of Shares
pursuant to a public offering, there shall be not less than
three Trustees. Any vacancies occurring in the Board of
Trustees may be filled by the Trustees if, immediately after
filling any such vacancy, at least two-thirds of the Trustees
then holding office shall have been elected to such office by
the Shareholders. In the event that at any time less than a
majority of the Trustees then holding office were elected to
such office by the Shareholders, the Trustees shall call a
meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees.
Each Trustee elected by the Shareholders or by the Trustees
shall serve until the next meeting of Shareholders called for
the purpose of electing Trustees and until the election and
qualification of his or her successor, or until he or she
sooner dies, resigns or is removed. The initial Trustees,
each of whom shall serve until the first meeting of
Shareholders at which Trustees are elected and until his or
her successor is elected and qualified, or until he or she
sooner dies, resigns or is removed, shall be Xxxxxxx
XxXxxxxxx, III 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. By vote of a
majority of the Trustees then in office, the Trustees may
remove a Trustee with or without cause. At any meeting
called for the purpose, a Trustee may be removed, with or
without cause, by vote of the holders of two-thirds of the
outstanding Shares.
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.
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 By-
Laws 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 By-Laws do
not reserve that right to the Shareholders; they may fill
vacancies in their number, including vacancies resulting from
increases in 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;
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they may appoint an advisory board, the members of which
shall not be Trustees and need not be Shareholders; 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 services 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 in securities, options,
futures contracts, options on futures contracts and other
property, 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 or other assets;
(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 depository or a nominee or nominees or otherwise;
(f) Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 3,
to allocate assets, liabilities 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 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
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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 with 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 on 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, securities or other assets;
(1) 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 of such
obligations or obligations incurred pursuant to subparagraph
(k) hereof;
(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
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
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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 By-Laws, 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 principal or income of the Trust,
or partly out of principal and partly out of income, as they
deem fair, 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
services 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 or arising in connection with a
particular series of Shares, as determined by the Trustees,
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.
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 Xxxxx Xxx & Xxxxxxx Incorporated, or
any other partnership, corporation, trust, association or
other organization (the "Adviser"), every such contract to
comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set
forth in the By-Laws; 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
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in the Trust's investments. The Trustees may also, at any
time and from time to time, contract with the Adviser 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 By-Laws; 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 services or
other agency contract may have been or may hereafter be made,
or that any 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 services or other agency contract may
have been or may hereafter be made also has an advisory or
management contract, or principal underwriter's or
distributor's contract, or transfer, shareholder services 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.
ARTICLE V
SHAREHOLDERS' VOTING POWERS AND MEETINGS
Voting Powers
Section 1. The Shareholders shall have power to vote
only (i) for the election of Trustees as provided in Article
IV, Section 1, (ii) with respect to any Adviser as provided
in Article IV, Section 6, (iii) with respect to any
termination of this Trust to the extent and as provided in
Article IX, Section 4, (iv) with respect to any amendment of
this Declaration of Trust to the extent and as provided in
Article IX, Section 7, and (v) with respect to such
additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required
by law, this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws or any
registration of the Trust with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (or
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any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees may
consider necessary or desirable. Each whole Share (or
fractional share) outstanding on the record date established
in accordance with the By-Laws shall be entitled to a number
of votes on any matter on which it is entitled to vote equal
to the net asset value of the share (or fractional share) in
United States dollars determined at the close of business on
the record date (for example, a share having a net asset
value of $10.50 would be entitled to 10.5 votes).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of
Trust, on any matter submitted to a vote of Shareholders, all
Shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall be voted in
the aggregate as a single class without regard to series or
class 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 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. The placing of a shareholder's name on a
proxy pursuant to telephone or electronically transmitted
instructions obtained pursuant to procedures reasonably
designed to verify that such instructions have been
authorized by such shareholder shall constitute execution of
such proxy by or on behalf of such shareholder in writing.
At all meetings of Shareholders, unless inspectors of
election have been appointed, all questions relating to the
qualification of voters and the validity of proxies and the
acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided by the
chairman of the meeting. Unless otherwise specified in the
proxy, the proxy shall apply to all Shares of each series of
the Trust owned by the Shareholder.
Until Shares are issued, the Trustees may exercise all
rights of Shareholders and may take any action required by
law, this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws to be taken by
Shareholders.
Voting Power and Meetings
Section 2. Meetings of Shareholders of the Trust or of
any series or class may be called by the Trustees or such
other person or persons as may be specified in the By-Laws
and held from time to time for the purpose of taking action
upon any matter requiring the vote or the authority of the
Shareholders of the Trust or any series or class as herein
provided or upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to
be necessary or desirable. Meetings of Shareholders of the
Trust or of any series or class shall be called by the
Trustees or such other person or persons as may be specified
in the By-Laws upon written application. The
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Shareholders shall be entitled to at least seven days'
written notice of any meeting of the Shareholders.
Quorum and Required Vote
Section 3. Shares representing thirty percent of the
votes entitled to vote shall be a quorum for the transaction
of business at a Shareholders' meeting, except that where any
provision of law or of this Declaration of Trust permits or
requires that holders of any series or class shall vote as a
series or class, then Shares representing thirty percent of
the votes 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,
however, 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 this Declaration of Trust or the
By-Laws, Shares representing a majority of the votes 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 permits or requires that the holders of
any series or class shall vote as a series or class, then
Shares representing a majority of the votes 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 By-Laws) 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.
Additional Provisions
Section 5. The ByLaws may include further provisions
for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters.
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ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS, REDEMPTIONS AND REPURCHASES,
AND DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Distributions
Section 1. The Trustees may, but need not, each year
distribute to the Shareholders of each series or class such
income and gains, accrued or realized, as the Trustees may
determine, after providing for actual and accrued expenses
and liabilities (including such reserves as the Trustees may
establish) determined in accordance with good accounting
practices. The Trustees shall have full discretion to
determine which items shall be treated as income and which
items as capital and their determination shall be binding
upon the Shareholders. Distributions of each year's income
of each series, if any be made, may be made in one or more
payments, which shall be in Shares, in cash or otherwise and
on a date or dates and as of a record date or dates
determined by the Trustees. At any time and from time to
time in their discretion, the Trustees may distribute to the
Shareholders of any one or more series or classes as of a
record date or dates determined by the Trustees, in Shares,
in cash or otherwise, all or part of any gains realized on
the sale or disposition of property of the series or
otherwise, or all or part of any other principal of the Trust
attributable to the series. In the case of any series not
divided into two or more classes of Shares, each distribution
pursuant to this Section 1 shall be made ratably according to
the number of Shares of the series held by the several
Shareholders on the applicable record date thereof, provided
that no distribution need be made on Shares purchased
pursuant to orders received, or for which payment is made,
after such time or times as the Trustees may determine. In
the case of any series divided into two or more classes, each
distribution pursuant to this Section 1 may be made in whole
or in such parts as the Trustees may determine to the
Shareholders of any one or more classes, and the distribution
to the Shareholders of any class shall be made ratably
according to the number of Shares of the class (but need not
be made ratably according to the number of Shares of the
series, considered without regard to class) held by the
several Shareholders on the record date thereof, provided
that no distribution need be made on Shares purchased
pursuant to orders received, or for which payment is made,
after such time or times as the Trustees may determine. Any
such distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net
asset value thereof as determined in accordance with Section
7 of this Article VI.
Redemptions and Repurchases
Section 2. Any holder of Shares of the Trust may by
presentation of a written request, together with his or her
certificates, if any, for such Shares, in proper form for
transfer, at the office of the Trust or at a principal office
of a transfer agent appointed by the Trust, redeem his or her
Shares for the net asset value thereof determined and
computed in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2
and the provisions of Section 7 of this Article VI.
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Upon receipt by the Trust or its transfer agent of such
written request for redemption of Shares, such Shares shall
be redeemed at the net asset value per share of the
appropriate series next determined after such Shares are
tendered in proper order for transfer to the Trust or
determined as of such other time fixed by the Trustees as may
be permitted or required by the 1940 Act, provided that no
such tender shall be required in the case of Shares for which
a certificate or certificates have not been issued, and in
such case such Shares shall be redeemed at the net asset
value per share of the appropriate series next determined
after such request has been received or determined at such
other time fixed by the Trustees as may be permitted or
required by the 0000 Xxx.
The obligation of the Trust to redeem its Shares of each
series or class as set forth above in this Section 2 shall be
subject to the conditions that during any time of emergency,
as hereinafter defined, such obligation may be suspended by
the Trust by or under authority of the Trustees for such
period or periods during such time of emergency as shall be
determined by or under authority of the Trustees. If there
is such a suspension, any Shareholder may withdraw any demand
for redemption and any tender of Shares which has been
received by the Trust during any such period and any tender
of Shares, the applicable net asset value of which would but
for such suspension be calculated as of a time during such
period. Upon such withdrawal, the Trust shall return to the
Shareholder the certificates therefor, if any. For the
purposes of any such suspension, "time of emergency" shall
mean, either with respect to all Shares or any series of
Shares, any period during which:
a. the New York Stock Exchange is closed other than for
customary weekend and holiday closings; or
b. the Trustees or authorized officers of the Trust
shall have determined, in compliance with any applicable
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, either that trading on the New York Stock
Exchange is restricted, or that an emergency exists as a
result of which (i) disposal by the Trust of securities owned
by it is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not
reasonably practicable for the Trust fairly to determine the
current value of its net assets; or
c. the suspension or postponement of such obligations
is permitted by order of the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
The Trust may also purchase, repurchase or redeem Shares
in accordance with such other methods, upon such other terms
and subject to such other conditions as the Trustees may from
time to time authorize 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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Payment in Kind
Section 3. Subject to any generally applicable
limitation imposed by the Trustees, any payment on redemption
of Shares may, if authorized by the Trustees, be made wholly
or partly in kind, instead of in cash. Such payment in kind
shall be made by distributing securities or other property
constituting, in the opinion of the Trustees, a fair
representation of the various types of securities and other
property then held by the series of Shares being redeemed
(but not necessarily involving a portion of each of the
series' holdings) and taken at their value used in
determining the net asset value of the Shares in respect of
which payment is made.
Redemptions at the Option of the Trust
Section 4. 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
Section 7 of Article VI of this Declaration of Trust: (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 without regard to class) 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.
Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions and Repurchases
Section 5. No dividend or distribution (including,
without limitation, any distribution paid upon termination of
the Trust or of any series) with respect to, nor any
redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of any series (or of
any class) shall be effected by the Trust other than from the
assets of such series (or of the series of which such class
is a part).
Additional Provisions Relating to Redemptions and
Repurchases
Section 6. The completion of redemption of Shares shall
constitute a full discharge of the Trust and the Trustees
with respect to such shares, and the Trustees may require
that any certificate or certificates issued by the Trust to
evidence the ownership of such Shares shall be surrendered to
the Trustees for cancellation or notation.
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Determination of Net Asset Value
Section 7. The term "net asset value" of the Shares of
each series or class shall mean: (i) the value of all the
assets of such series or class; (ii) less the total
liabilities of such series or class; (iii) divided by the
number of Shares of such series or class outstanding, in each
case at the time of each determination. The "number of
Shares of such series or class outstanding" for the purposes
of such computation shall be exclusive of any Shares of such
series or class to be redeemed and not then redeemed as to
which the redemption price has been determined, but shall
include Shares of such series or class presented for
repurchase and not then repurchased and Shares of such series
or class to be redeemed and not then redeemed as to which the
redemption price has not been determined and Shares of such
series or class the sale of which has been confirmed. Any
fractions involved in the computation of net asset value per
share shall be adjusted to the nearer cent unless the
Trustees shall determine to adjust such fractions to a
fraction of a cent.
The Trustees, or any officer or officers or agent of
this Trust designated for the purpose by the Trustees, shall
determine the net asset value of the Shares of each series or
class, and the Trustees shall fix the times as of which the
net asset value of the Shares of each series or class shall
be determined and shall fix the periods during which any such
net asset value shall be effective as to sales, redemptions
and repurchases of, and other transactions in, the Shares of
such series or class, except as such times and periods for
any such transaction may be fixed by other provisions of this
Declaration of Trust or by the By-Laws.
In valuing the portfolio investments of any series or
class for determination of net asset value per share of such
series or class:
(a) Each security for which market quotations are
readily available shall be valued at current market value
determined by methods specified by the Board of Trustees;
(b) Each other security, including any security within
(a) for which the specified price does not appear to
represent a dependable quotation for such security as of the
time of valuation, shall be valued at a fair value as
determined in good faith by the Trustees;
(c) Any cash on hand shall be valued at the face amount
thereof;
(d) Any cash on deposit, accounts receivable, and cash
dividends and interest declared or accrued and not yet
received, any prepaid expenses, and any other current asset
shall be valued at the face amount thereof, unless the
Trustees shall determine that any such item is not worth its
face amount, in which case such asset shall be valued at a
fair value determined in good faith by the Trustees; and
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(e) Any other asset shall be valued at a fair value
determined in good faith by the Trustees.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, short-term debt obligations,
commercial paper and repurchase agreements may be, but need
not be, valued on the basis of quoted yields for securities
of comparable maturity, quality and type, or on the basis of
amortized cost.
Liabilities of any series or class for accounts payable
for investments purchased and for Shares tendered for
redemption and not then redeemed as to which the redemption
price has been determined shall be stated at the amounts
payable therefor. In determining the net asset value of any
series or class, the person or persons making such
determination on behalf of the Trust may include in
liabilities such reserves, estimated accrued expenses and
contingencies as such person or persons may in its, his or
their best judgment deem fair and reasonable under the
circumstances. Any income dividends and gains distributions
payable by the Trust shall be deducted as of such time or
times on the record date therefor as the Trustees shall
determine.
The manner of determining the net assets of any series
or class or of determining the net asset value of the Shares
of any series or class may from time to time be altered as
necessary or desirable in the judgment of the Trustees to
conform to any other method prescribed or permitted by any
applicable law or regulation.
Determinations under this Section 7 made in good faith
and in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act shall
be binding on all parties concerned.
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, adviser 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
17
otherwise be subject by reason of wilful 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,
Share 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.
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, criminal,
administrative or investigative, and any appeal therefrom,
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 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
that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any
liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such
Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of wilful
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), may 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 that (a) such
Covered Person shall provide security for his undertaking,
(b) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by
reason of such Covered Person's failure to fulfill his
undertaking or (c) a majority of the Trustees who are
disinterested persons and who are not Interested Persons
(provided that a majority of such Trustees then in office act
on the matter), or independent legal counsel in a written
opinion, shall determine, based on a review of readily
available facts (but not a full
18
trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe such
Covered Person ultimately will be entitled to
indemnification.
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 in a decision on the
merits by a court, or by any other body before which the
proceeding was brought, that such Covered Person is liable to
the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of wilful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
Covered Person's office, indemnification shall be provided if
(a) approved as in the best interest of the Trust, after
notice that it involves such indemnification, by at least a
majority of the Trustees who are disinterested persons and
are not Interested Persons (provided that a majority of such
Trustees then in office act on the matter), upon a
determination, based upon a review of readily available facts
(but not a full trial-type inquiry) that such Covered Person
is not liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of
wilful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
Covered Person's office, or (b) there has been obtained an
opinion in writing of independent legal counsel, based upon a
review of readily available facts (but not a full-trial type
inquiry) to the effect that such indemnification would not
protect such Covered Person against any liability to the
Trust to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject
by reason of wilful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct
of his 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 to have been
liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of wilful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such
Covered Person's office.
Indemnification Not Exclusive; Definitions
Section 3. The right of indemnification hereby provided
shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which
any 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 person" is a person against whom none of the
actions, suits or other proceedings in question 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 and
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 such persons.
19
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
representatives or, in the case of a corporation or other
entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be
entitled to be held 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 wilful 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 officers
or officer 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 Trustees or
Trustee or as officers or officer 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 Trustees or Trustee or officers or officer or
Shareholders or Shareholder 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
wilful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office
of Trustee, and for nothing else, and shall not be liable for
errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees
may take advice of counsel or other experts
20
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 Trustees
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.
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 votes represented by the outstanding 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 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 securities, 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 of 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 Clerk of the City
of Boston, 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
21
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 such as "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 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 so to do by a vote of the
holders of a majority of the votes represented by outstanding
Shares entitled to vote, except that an amendment which 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 holders of a majority of the
votes represented by outstanding 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
Shareholder vote.
22
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned has hereunto set his hand
in the City of Boston, Massachusetts for himself and his
assigns, as of this 31st day of July, 1996.
XXXXXXX XX XXXXXXX, III
Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxxx, III
Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Boston ss. July 31, 1996
Then personally appeared the above-named Trustee and
acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and
deed, before me,
XXXXX XXXXXXX
Notary Public
My commission expires: 9/23/99
(Notary's Seal)
The address of the Trust is Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
The Resident Agent is CT Corporation, 0 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxx, XX 00000.
