AMENDMENT TO THE CUSTODIAN CONTRACT
AGREEMENT made by and between State Street Bank and Trust Company (the
"Custodian") and The Gabelli Growth Fund (the "Fund").
WHEREAS, the Custodian and the Fund are parties to a custodian contract
dated December 7, 1989 (the "Custodian Contract") governing the terms and
conditions under which the Custodian maintains custody of the securities and
other assets of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Custodian and the Fund desire to amend the Custodian
Contract to provide for the maintenance of the Fund's foreign securities, and
cash incidental to transactions in such securities, in the custody of certain
foreign banking institutions and foreign securities depositories acting as
sub-custodians in conformity with the requirements of Rule 17f-5 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and covenants contained
herein, the Custodian and the Fund hereby amend the Custodian Contract by the
addition of the following terms and conditions;
1. Appointment of Foreign Sub-Custodians
The Fund hereby authorizes and instructs the Custodian to
employ as sub-custodians for the Fund's securities and other assets maintained
outside the United States the foreign banking institutions and foreign
securities depositories designated on Schedule A hereto ("foreign
sub-custodians"). Upon receipt of "Proper Instructions", as defined in Section
2.17 of the Custodian Contract, together with a certified resolution of the
Fund's Board of Directors, the Custodian and the Fund may agree to amend
Schedule A hereto from time to time to designate additional foreign banking
institutions and foreign securities depositories to act as sub-custodian. Upon
receipt of Proper Instructions, the Fund may instruct the Custodian to cease the
employment of any one or more of such sub-custodians for maintaining custody of
the Fund's assets.
2. Assets to be Held
The Custodian shall limit the securities and other assets
maintained in the custody of the foreign sub-custodians to: (a) "foreign
securities", as defined in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, and (b) cash and cash equivalents in such amounts as the
Custodian or the Fund may determine to be reasonably necessary to effect the
Fund's foreign securities transactions.
3. Foreign Securities Depositories
Except as may otherwise be agreed upon in writing by the
Custodian and the Fund, assets of the Fund shall be maintained in foreign
securities depositories only through arrangements implemented by the foreign
banking institutions serving as sub-custodians pursuant to the terms thereof.
Where possible, such arrangements shall include entry into agreements containing
the provisions set forth in Section 5 hereof.
4. Segregation of Securities
The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the
Fund, the foreign securities of the Fund held by each foreign sub-custodian.
Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a foreign banking
institution shall require that such institution establish a custody account for
the Custodian on behalf of the Fund and physically segregate in that account,
securities and other assets of the Fund, and, in the event that such institution
deposits the Fund's securities in a foreign securities depository, that it shall
identify on its books as belonging to the Custodian, as agent for the Fund, the
securities so deposited.
5. Agreements with Foreign Banking Institutions
Each agreement with a foreign banking institution shall be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit 1 hereto and shall provide that:
(a) the Fund's assets will not be subject to any right, charge, security
interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the foreign banking institution
or its creditors or agents, except a claim of payment for their safe custody or
administration; (b) beneficial ownership for the Fund's assets will be freely
transferable without the payment of money or value other than for custody or
administration; (c) adequate records will be maintained identifying the assets
as belonging to the Fund; (d) officers of or auditors employed by, or other
representatives of the Custodian, including to the extent permitted under
applicable law the independent public accountants for the Fund, will be given
access to the books and records of the foreign banking institution relating to
its actions under its agreement with the Custodian; and (e) assets of the Fund
held by the foreign sub-custodian will be subject only to the instructions of
the Custodian or its agents.
6. Access of Independent Accountants of the Fund
Upon request of the Fund, the Custodian will use its best
efforts to arrange for the independent accountants of the Fund to be afforded
access to the books and records of any foreign banking institution employed as a
foreign sub-custodian insofar as such books and records relate to the
performance of such foreign banking institution under its agreement with the
Custodian.
7. Reports by Custodian
The Custodian will supply to the Fund from time to time, as
mutually agreed upon, statements in respect of the securities and other assets
of the Fund held by foreign sub-custodians, including but not limited to an
identification of entities having possession of the Fund's securities and other
assets and advices or notifications of any transfers of securities to or from
each custodial account maintained by a foreign banking institution for the
Custodian on behalf of the Fund indicating, as to securities acquired for the
Fund, the identity of the entity having physical possession of such securities.
8. Transactions in Foreign Custody Account
(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this
Section 8, the provisions of Sections 2.2 and 2.8 of the Custodian Contract
shall apply, mutatis mutandis to the foreign securities of the Fund held outside
the United States by foreign sub-custodians.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the Custodian Contract to
the contrary, settlement and payment for securities received for the account of
the Fund and delivery of securities maintained for the account of the Fund may
be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or
securities processing practices and procedures in the jurisdiction or market in
which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering
securities to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for
such purchaser or dealer) against a receipt with the expectation of receiving
later payment for such securities from such purchaser or dealer.
(c) Securities maintained in the custody of a foreign
sub-custodian may be maintained in the name of such entity's nominee to the same
extent as set forth in Section 2.3 of the Custodian Contract, and the Fund
agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of
record of such securities.
9. Liability of Foreign Sub-Custodians
Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a
foreign banking institution as a foreign sub-custodian shall require the
institution to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties and to
indemnify, and hold harmless, the Custodian and each Fund from and against any
loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim arising out of or in connection
with the institution's performance of such obligations. At the election of the
Fund, it shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with
respect to any claims against a foreign banking institution as a consequence of
any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim if and to the extent
that the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense,
liability or claim.
10. Liability of Custodian
The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of a
foreign banking institution to the same extent as set forth with respect to
sub-custodians generally in the Custodian Contract and, regardless of whether
assets are maintained in the custody of a foreign banking institution, a foreign
securities depository or a branch of a U.S. bank as contemplated by paragraph 13
hereof, the Custodian shall not be liable for any loss, damage, cost, expense,
liability or claim resulting from nationalization, expropriation, currency
restrictions, or acts of war or terrorism or any loss where the sub-custodian
has otherwise exercised reasonable care. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph 10, in delegating custody duties to State Street
London Ltd., the Custodian shall not be relieved of any responsibility to the
Fund for any loss due to such delegation, except such loss as may result from
(a) political risk (including, but not limited to, exchange control
restrictions, confiscation, expropriation, nationalization, insurrection, civil
strife or armed hostilities) or (b) other losses (excluding a bankruptcy or
insolvency of State Street London Ltd. not caused by political risk) due to Acts
of God, nuclear incident or other losses under circumstances where the Custodian
and State Street London Ltd. have exercised reasonable care.
11. Reimbursement for Advances
If the Fund requires the Custodian to advance cash or
securities for any purpose including the purchase or sale of foreign exchange or
of contracts for foreign exchange, or in the event that the Custodian or its
nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments,
claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Contract,
except such as may arise from its or its nominee's own negligent action,
negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, any property at any time held
for the account of the Fund shall be security therefor and should the Fund fail
to repay the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be entitled to utilize
available cash and to dispose of the Fund assets to the extent necessary to
obtain reimbursement.
12. Monitoring Responsibilities
The Custodian shall furnish annually to the Fund, during the
month of June, information concerning the foreign sub-custodians employed by the
Custodian. Such information shall be similar in kind and scope to that furnished
to the Fund in connection with the initial approval of this amendment to the
Custodian Contract. In addition, the Custodian will promptly inform the Fund in
the event that the Custodian learns of a material adverse change in the
financial condition of a foreign sub-custodian or any material loss of the
assets of the Fund or in the case of any foreign sub-custodian not the subject
of an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission is notified by
such foreign sub-custodian that there appears to be a substantial likelihood
that its shareholders' equity will decline below $200 million (U.S. dollars or
the equivalent thereof) or that its shareholders' equity has declined below $200
million (in each case computed in accordance with generally accepted U.S.
accounting principles).
13. Branches of U.S. Banks
(a) Except as otherwise set forth in this amendment to the
Custodian Contract, the provisions hereof shall not apply where the custody of
the Fund assets is maintained in a foreign branch of a banking institution which
is a "bank" as defined by Section 2(a)(5) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
meeting the qualification set forth in Section 26(a) of said Act. The
appointment of any such branch as a sub-custodian shall be governed by paragraph
1 of the Custodian Contract.
(b) Cash held for the Fund in the United Kingdom shall be
maintained in an interest bearing account established for the Fund with the
Custodian's London Branch, which account shall be subject to the direction of
the Custodian, State Street London Ltd. or both.
14. Applicability of Custodian Contract
Except as specifically superseded or modified herein, the
terms and provisions of the Custodian Contract shall continue to apply with full
force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this instrument to
be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative and its
seal to be hereunder affixed as of the _________________ day of
________________, 1991.
ATTEST: THE GABELLI GROWTH FUND
ILLEGIBLE By: XXXXX XXXXXX
(Title) Vice President and Treasurer
ATTEST: STATE STREET BANK
AND TRUST COMPANY
ILLEGIBLE By: ILLEGIBLE
Assistant Secretary Vice President
Schedule A
The following foreign banking institutions and foreign securities
depositories have been approved by the Board of Directors of The Gabelli Growth
Fund for use as sub-custodians for the Fund's securities and other assets.
(insert banks and securities depositories)
