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EXHIBIT 99.B1(a).
▇▇▇▇▇▇ TRUST #24
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Boston,
Massachusetts, this 12th day of June, 1995, by the Trustees
hereunder, and by the holders of shares of beneficial interest to
be issued hereunder as hereinafter provided.
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Trustees hereunder are desirous of forming a
trust for the purposes of carrying on the business of a
management investment company; and
WHEREAS, in furtherance of such purposes, the Trustees are
acquiring and may hereafter acquire assets and properties, to
hold and manage as trustees of a Massachusetts voluntary
association with transferable shares in accordance with the
provisions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will
hold all cash, securities and other assets and properties 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 and Registered Agent
Section 1. This Trust shall be known as ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Trust #24
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. The registered agent for the Trust in Massachusetts
shall be CT Corporation System whose address is ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ or such other person as the Trustees may
from time to time designate.
Definitions
Section 2. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required
by the context or specifically provided:
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(a) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts voluntary
association established by this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust, as amended from time to time, pursuant to Massachusetts
General Laws, Chapter 182;
(b) "Trustees" refers to the Trustees of the Trust named
herein or elected in accordance with Article IV and then in
office;
(c) "Shares" mean the equal proportionate transferable
units of interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust
shall be divided from time to time or, if more than one series or
class of shares is authorized under or pursuant to Article III,
the equal proportionate transferable units of interest into which
each such series or class 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 any successor statute) 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
"vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" shall
have the meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(g) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement and
Declaration of Trust as amended or restated from time to time;
(h) "By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as
amended from time to time;
(i) "Net asset value" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6 of Article VI hereof;
(j) The terms "series" or "series of Shares" refers to the
one or more separate investment portfolios of the Trust
authorized under or pursuant to Article III into which the assets
and liabilities of the Trust may be divided and the Shares of the
Trust representing the beneficial interest of Shareholders in
such respective portfolios; and
(k) The terms "class" or "class of Shares" refers to the
division of Shares representing any series into two or more
classes authorized under or pursuant to Article III.
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ARTICLE II
Nature and Purpose
The Trust is a voluntary association (commonly known as a
business trust) of the type referred to in Chapter 182 of the
General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trust is
not intended to be, shall not be deemed to be, and shall not be
treated as, a general or a limited partnership, joint venture,
corporation or joint stock company, nor shall the Trustees or
Shareholders or any of them for any purpose be deemed to be, or
be treated in any way whatsoever as though they were, liable or
responsible hereunder as partners or joint venturers. The
purpose of the Trust is to engage in, operate and carry on the
business of an open-end management investment company and to do
any and all acts or things as are necessary, convenient,
appropriate, incidental or customary in connection therewith.
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 from time to time. Each series shall be preferred over
all other series in respect of the assets allocated to that
series as hereinafter provided. The beneficial interest in each
series shall at all times be divided into Shares (without par
value) of such series, each of which shall, except as provided in
the following sentence, represent an equal proportionate interest
in such series with each other Share of the same series, none
having priority or preference over another Share of the same
series. The Trustees may, without Shareholder approval, divide
the Shares of any series into two or more classes, Shares of each
such class having such preferences and special or relative rights
or privileges (including conversion rights, if any) as the
Trustees may determine. 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.
Without limiting the authority of the Trustees set forth in this
Section 1 to establish and designate any further series or class,
the Trustees hereby establish and designate one series of Shares
to be known as the "Initial Portfolio." The establishment and
designation of any series or class of Shares in addition to the
foregoing shall be effective upon the execution by a majority of
the then Trustees of an instrument setting forth such
establishment and designation and the relative rights and
preferences of such series or class. As provided in Article IX,
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Section 1 hereof, any series or class of Shares (whether or not
there shall then be Shares outstanding of said series or class)
may be terminated by the Trustees by written notice to the
Shareholders of such series or class or by the vote of the
Shareholders of such series or class entitled to vote more than
fifty percent (50%) of the votes entitled to be cast on the
matter. In the event of any such termination, a majority of the
then Trustees shall execute an instrument setting forth the
termination of such series or class.
Ownership of Shares
Section 2. The ownership and transfer 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 or class and as to the number of
Shares of each series or class held from time to time by each
Shareholder.
Investment in the Trust; Assets of a Series
Section 3. The Trustees may issue Shares of the Trust to
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
may from time to time authorize.
All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or
sale of Shares of a particular series, together with all income,
earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, including any proceeds
derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation thereof, and any
funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds
in whatever form the same may be, shall, irrevocably belong to
such series of Shares 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. Any allocation of the assets of a series among any
classes of Shares of such series shall be made in a manner
consistent with the preferences and special or relative rights or
privileges of such classes.
Right to Refuse Orders
Section 4. The Trust by action of its Trustees shall have
the right to refuse to accept any subscription for its Shares at
any time without any cause or reason therefore whatsoever.
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Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust shall have the right
not to accept subscriptions under circumstances or in amounts as
the Trustees in their sole discretion consider to be
disadvantageous to existing Shareholders and the Trust may from
time to time set minimum and/or maximum amounts which may be
invested in Shares by a subscriber.
Order in Proper Form
Section 5. The criteria for determining what constitutes an
order in proper form and the time of receipt of such an order by
the Trust shall be prescribed by resolution of the Trustees.
When Shares Become Outstanding
Section 6. Shares subscribed for and for which an order in
proper form has been received shall be deemed to be outstanding
as of the time of acceptance of the order therefor and the
determination of the net price thereof, which price shall be then
deemed to be an asset of the Trust.
Merger or Consolidation
Section 7. In connection with the acquisition of all or
substantially all the assets or stock of another investment
company, investment trust, or of a company classified as a
personal holding company under Federal Income Tax laws, the
Trustees may issue or cause to be issued Shares of a series or
class and accept in payment therefor, in lieu of cash, such
assets at their market value, or such stock at the market value
of the assets held by such investment company or investment
trust, either with or without adjustment for contingent costs or
liabilities.
No Preemptive Rights, Etc.
Section 8. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other
right to receive, purchase or subscribe for any additional Shares
or other securities issued by the Trust. The Shareholders shall
have no appraisal rights with respect to their Shares and, except
as otherwise determined by the Trustees in their sole discretion,
shall have no exchange or conversion rights with respect to their
Shares.
Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability
Section 9. 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 of the
Declaration of Trust and to have become a party thereto. The
death of a Shareholder during the continuance of the Trust shall
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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.
Shareholder Inspection Rights
Section 10. Any Shareholder or his agent may inspect and
copy during normal business hours any of the following documents
of the Trust: By-Laws, minutes of the proceedings of the
Shareholders and annual financial statements of the Trust,
including a balance sheet and financial statements of operations.
The foregoing rights of inspection of Shareholders of the Trust
are the exclusive and sole rights of the Shareholders with
respect thereto and no Shareholder of the Trust shall have, as a
Shareholder, the right to inspect or copy any of the books,
records or other documents of the Trust except as specifically
provided in this Section 10 of this Article III or except as
otherwise determined by the Trustees.
ARTICLE IV
The Trustees
Number, Designation, Election, Term, Etc.
Section 1.
(a) Initial Trustee. Upon his execution of this
Declaration of Trust or a counterpart hereof or some other
writing in which he accepts such Trusteeship and agrees to the
provisions hereof, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ III shall become a Trustee
hereof.
(b) Number. The Trustees serving as such, whether named
above or hereafter becoming Trustees, may increase or decrease
the number of Trustees to a number other than the number
theretofore determined which number shall not be less than three
nor more than fifteen except during the period prior to any sale
of Shares pursuant to any public offering. No decrease in the
number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any Trustee
from office prior to the expiration of his term, but the number
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of Trustees may be decreased in conjunction with the removal of a
Trustee pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 1.
(c) Term and Election. Each Trustee, whether named above
or hereafter becoming a Trustee, shall serve as a Trustee until
the next meeting of Shareholders, if any, called for the purpose
of considering the election or re-election of such Trustee or of
a successor to such Trustee, and until the election and
qualification of his successor, if any, elected at such meeting,
or until such Trustee sooner dies, resigns, retires or is
removed. Upon the election and qualification of a new Trustee,
the Trust estate shall vest in the new Trustee (together with the
continuing or other new Trustees) without any further act or
conveyance. Prior to any sale of Shares pursuant to any public
offering, the initial Trustee named above (and any individual
appointed by such initial Trustee to act as sole Trustee) shall
have the right to appoint other persons as Trustees each to serve
as Trustees as aforesaid until the first meeting of Shareholders
called for the purpose of the election or re-election of such
Trustee or of a successor to such Trustee.
(d) Resignation and Retirement. Any Trustee may resign his
trust or retire as a Trustee, by written instrument signed by him
and delivered to the other Trustees or to the Chairman of the
Board, if any, the President or the Secretary of the Trust, and
such resignation or retirement shall take effect upon such
delivery or upon such later date as is specified in such
instrument.
(e) Removal. Any Trustee may be removed for cause at any
time by written instrument, signed by at least a majority of the
number of Trustees prior to such removal, specifying the date
upon which such removal shall become effective. Any Trustee may
be removed with or without cause (i) by the vote of the
Shareholders entitled to vote more than fifty percent (50%) of
the votes entitled to be cast on the matter voting together
without regard to series or class at any meeting called for such
purpose, or (ii) by a written consent filed with the custodian of
the Trust's portfolio securities and executed by the Shareholders
entitled to vote more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes
entitled to be cast on the matter voting together without regard
to series or class.
Whenever ten or more Shareholders of record who have been
such for at least six months preceding the date of application,
and who hold in the aggregate Shares constituting at least one
percent of the outstanding Shares of the Trust, shall apply to
the Trustees in writing, stating that they wish to communicate
with other Shareholders with a view to obtaining signatures to a
request for a meeting to consider removal of a Trustee and
accompanied by a form of communication and request that they wish
to transmit, the Trustees shall within five business days after
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receipt of such application inform such applicants as to the
approximate cost of mailing to the Shareholders of record the
proposed communication and form of request. Upon the written
request of such applicants, accompanied by a tender of the
material to be mailed and of the reasonable expenses of mailing,
the Trustees shall, within reasonable promptness, mail such
material to all Shareholders of record at their addresses as
recorded on the books of the Trust. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Trustees may refuse to mail such material on the
basis and in accordance with the procedures set forth in the last
two paragraphs of Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.
(f) Vacancies. Any vacancy or anticipated vacancy
resulting from any reason, including without limitation the
death, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of any of
the Trustees, or resulting from an increase in the number of
Trustees by the other Trustees may (but so long as there are at
least three remaining Trustees at all times subsequent to any
sale of Shares pursuant to any public offering, need not unless
required by the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) be filled either by a majority of the
remaining Trustees, even if less than a quorum, through the
appointment in writing of such other person as such remaining
Trustees in their discretion shall determine or, whenever deemed
appropriate by the remaining Trustees, by the election by the
Shareholders, at a meeting called for such purpose, of a person
to fill such vacancy. Upon the appointment or election and
qualification of a new Trustee as aforesaid, the Trust estate
shall vest in the new Trustee, together with the continuing
Trustees, without any further act or conveyance, except that any
such appointment or election in anticipation of a vacancy to
occur by reason of retirement, resignation, or increase in number
of Trustees to be effective at a later date shall become
effective only at or after the effective date of said retirement,
resignation, or increase in number of Trustees.
(g) Mandatory Election by Shareholders. Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 1, the Trustees shall
call a meeting of the Shareholders for the election of one or
more Trustees at such time or times as may be required in order
that the provisions of the 1940 Act may be complied with, and the
authority hereinabove provided for the Trustees to appoint any
successor Trustee or Trustees shall be restricted if such
appointment would result in failure of the Trust to comply with
any provision of the 1940 Act.
(h) Effect of Death, Resignation, Etc. The death,
resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of the Trustees,
or any one of them, shall not operate to annul or terminate the
Trust or to revoke or terminate any existing agency or contract
created or entered into pursuant to the terms of this Declaration
of Trust.
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(i) No Accounting. Except under circumstances which would
justify his removal for cause, no person ceasing to be a Trustee
as a result of his death, resignation, retirement, removal or
incapacity (nor the estate of any such person) shall be required
to make an accounting to the Shareholders or remaining Trustees
upon such cessation.
Powers
Section 2. The Trustees, subject only to the specific
limitations contained in this Declaration of Trust or otherwise
imposed by the 1940 Act or other applicable law, shall have,
without further or other authorization and free from any power or
control of the Shareholders, full, absolute and exclusive power,
control and authority over the Trust assets and the business and
affairs of the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were
the sole and absolute owners thereof in their own right and to do
all such acts and things as in their sole judgment and discretion
are necessary and incidental to, or desirable for the carrying
out of any of the purposes of the Trust or conducting the
business of the Trust. Any determination made in good faith by
the Trustees of the purposes of the Trust or the existence of any
power or authority hereunder shall be conclusive. In construing
the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, there shall be a
presumption in favor of the grant of power and authority to the
Trustees. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may adopt
By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust
containing provisions relating to the business of the Trust, the
conduct of its affairs, its rights or powers and the rights or
powers of its Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and
other agents and may amend and repeal them to the extent that
such By-Laws do not reserve that right to the Shareholders; fill
vacancies in their number, including vacancies resulting from
increases in their number, unless a vote of the Trust's
Shareholders is required to fill such vacancies pursuant to the
1940 Act; elect and remove such officers and appoint and
terminate such agents as they consider appropriate; 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 powers and authority of the Trustees
as the Trustees may determine; appoint an advisory board, the
members of which shall not be Trustees and need not be
Shareholders; employ one or more investment advisers or managers
as provided in Section 6 of this Article IV; employ one or more
custodians of the assets of the Trust and 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
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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.
In furtherance of and not in limitation of the foregoing,
the Trustees shall have power and authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest in, to buy or otherwise acquire,
to hold, for investment or otherwise, to sell or otherwise
dispose of, to lend or to pledge, to trade in or deal in
securities or interests of all kinds, however evidenced, or
obligations of all kinds, however evidenced, or rights, warrants,
or contracts to acquire such securities, interests, or
obligations, of any private or public company, corporation,
association, general or limited partnership, trust or other
enterprise or organization, foreign or domestic, or issued or
guaranteed by any national or state government, foreign or
domestic, or their agencies, instrumentalities or subdivisions
(including but not limited to, bonds, debentures, bills, time
notes and all other evidences of indebtedness); negotiable or
non-negotiable instruments; any and all futures contracts;
government securities and money market instruments (including but
not limited to, bank certificates of deposit, finance paper,
commercial paper, bankers acceptances, and all kinds of
repurchase agreements);
(b) To invest and reinvest in, to buy or otherwise acquire,
to hold, for investment or otherwise, to sell or otherwise
dispose of foreign currencies, and funds and exchanges, and make
deposits in banks, savings banks, trust companies, and savings
and loan associations, foreign or domestic;
(c) To acquire (by purchase, lease or otherwise) and to
hold, use, maintain, develop, and dispose of (by sale or
otherwise) any property, real or personal, and any interest
therein;
(d) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate,
write options on and lease any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(e) 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;
(f) To exercise powers and rights of subscription or
otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of
securities;
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(g) To hold any security or property in a form not
indicating any trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other
negotiable form, or in the name of the Trustees or of the Trust
or in the name of a custodian, subcustodian or other depositary
or a nominee or nominees or otherwise;
(h) Subject to the provisions of Article III, to allocate
assets, liabilities, income and expenses of the Trust to a
particular series of Shares or to apportion the same among two or
more series, provided that any liabilities or expenses incurred
by a particular series 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 or
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;
(i) To consent to or participate in any plan for the
reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or
issuer, any security or property of which is or was held in the
Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or
sale of property by such corporation or issuer, and to pay calls
or subscriptions with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(j) 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;
(k) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in
favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy,
including but not limited to claims for taxes;
(l) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited
partnerships and any other combinations or associations;
(m) To borrow funds;
(n) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or
other obligations of any person; to make contracts of guaranty or
suretyship, or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof;
and to mortgage and pledge the Trust property or any part thereof
to secure any of or all such obligations;
(o) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property
such insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the
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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
(p) To pay pensions for faithful service, as deemed
appropriate by the Trustees, and to adopt, establish and carry
out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase,
savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit
plans, trusts and provisions, including the purchasing of life
insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing such
retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees,
officers, employees and agents of the Trust.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any
present or future law or custom in regard to investments by
trustees of common law trusts. 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 Trustees (if a quorum by 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 communicate
with each other simultaneously 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, Allocation of Liabilities
Section 3. 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 servicing agent, and such other
agents or independent contractors and such other expenses and
charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur.
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The assets of a particular series of Shares shall be charged
with the liabilities (including, in the discretion of the
Trustees or their delegate, accrued expenses and reserves)
incurred in respect of such series (but not with liabilities
incurred in respect of any other series) and such series shall
also be charged with its share of any other liabilities. Any
allocation of the liabilities of a series among classes of Shares
of that series shall be done in a manner consistent with the
preferences and special or relative rights or privileges of such
classes. The determination of the Trustees shall be final and
conclusive as to the amount of liabilities to be charged to one
or more particular series or class. The Trustees may delegate
from time to time the power to make such allocation to one or
more Trustees or to an agent of the Trust appointed for such
purpose. The liabilities with which a series is so charged are
herein referred to as the "liabilities of" such series.
Section 4. The Trustees shall have the power, as
frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder to
pay directly, in advance or arrears, for charges for the Trust's
custodian or transfer or shareholder service or similar agent, an
amount fixed from time to time by the Trustees, by setting off
such charges due from such Shareholder from declared but unpaid
dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of
Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full
and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount
of such charges due from such Shareholder.
Ownership of Assets of the Trust
Section 5. Title to all of the assets of each series of
the Trust 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 vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of a series of the Trust, the
Trustees may on behalf of such series, at any time and from time
to time, contract for exclusive or nonexclusive advisory and/or
management services for such series with a corporation, trust,
association or other organization, 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 such series shall be held
uninvested and to make changes in such series' investments. The
Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time, contract
with a corporation, trust, association or other organization,
appointing it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or principal
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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:
(a) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the
Trust is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee,
employee, manager, advisor, 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 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 such organization, or any parent or
affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or has an interest in the
Trust, or that
(b) any corporation, trust, association or other
organization with which an advisory or management 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 corpora-
tions, trusts, associations, or other organizations, or has other
businesses 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. Subject to the voting provisions of one or
more classes of Shares, the Shareholders shall have power to vote
only: (a) for the election or removal of Trustees as provided in
Article IV, Section 1; (b) with respect to any investment adviser
or manager as provided in Article IV, Section 6; (c) with respect
to any termination or reorganization of the Trust or any series
or class thereof to the extent and as provided in Article IX,
Section 1; (d) with respect to any amendment of this Declaration
of Trust to the extent and as provided in Article IX, Section 4;
and (e) with respect to such additional matters relating to the
Trust as may be required by law, the 1940 Act, this Declaration
of Trust, the By-Laws or any registration of the Trust with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor agency) or
any state, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or ▇▇▇▇▇-
able.
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Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to any
matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share
shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. Notwith-
standing any other provision of the Declaration of Trust, on any
matter submitted to a vote of Shareholders all Shares of the
Trust then entitled to vote shall, except to the extent otherwise
required or permitted by the preferences and special or relative
rights or privileges of any classes of Shares, be voted by
individual series and not in the aggregate or by class, except
(a) when required by the 1940 Act, Shares shall be voted in the
aggregate and not by individual series; and (b) 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 class 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 the exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a
specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A
proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder
shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its
exercise and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the
challenger.
Until Shares of any series or class are issued, the Trustees
may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action
required by law, this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws to be
taken by Shareholders of such series or class.
Shareholder Meetings
Section 2. Meetings of Shareholders (including meetings
involving only one or more but less than all series or classes)
may be called and held from time to time for the purpose of
taking action upon any matter requiring the vote or authority of
the Shareholders as herein provided or upon any other matter
deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable. Such
meetings shall be held at the principal office of the Trust as
set forth in the By-Laws of the Trust or at any such other place
within the United States as may be designated in the call there-
of, which call shall be made by the Trustees or the President of
the Trust. Meetings of Shareholders may be called by the Trust-
ees or such other person or persons as may be specified in the
By-Laws upon written application by Shareholders holding at least
twenty-five percent (25%) (or ten percent (10%) if the purpose of
the meeting is to determine if a Trustee is to be removed from
office) of the Shares then outstanding of all series and classes
entitled to vote at such meeting requesting a meeting be called
for a purpose requiring action by the Shareholders as provided
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herein or in the By-Laws which purpose shall be specified in any
such written application.
Shareholders shall be entitled to at least seven days'
written notice of any meeting of the Shareholders.
Quorum and Required Vote
Section 3. The presence at a meeting of Shareholders in
person or by proxy of Shareholders entitled to vote at least
thirty percent (30%) of all votes entitled to be cast at the
meeting of each series or class entitled to vote as a series or
class 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 the holders
of Shares shall vote in the aggregate and not as a series or
class, then the presence in person or by proxy of Shareholders
entitled to vote at least thirty percent (30%) of all votes
entitled to be cast at the meeting (without regard to series or
class) shall constitute a quorum. 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 provisions of
the 1940 Act, this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, a
majority of the Shares of each series or class voted on the
matter shall decide that matter insofar as that series or class
is concerned, provided that where any provision of law, this
Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws permits or requires that the
holders of Shares vote in the aggregate and not as a series or
class, then a majority of the Shares voted on any matter (without
regard to series or class) shall decide such matter and a
plurality shall elect a Trustee.
Action by Written Consent
Section 4. Any action taken by Shareholders may be taken
without a meeting if Shareholders entitled to vote more than
fifty percent (50%) of the votes entitled to be cast on the
matter of each series or class or, where any provision of law,
this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws permits or requires that
the holders of Shares vote in the aggregate and not as a series
or class, if Shareholders entitled to vote more than fifty
percent (50%) of the votes entitled to be cast thereon (without
regard to series or class) (or in either case such larger vote as
shall be required by any 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.
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Additional Provisions
Section 5. The By-Laws may include further provisions
for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters not
inconsistent with the provisions hereof.
ARTICLE VI
Distributions, Redemptions and Repurchases,
and Determination of Net Asset Value
Distributions
Section 1. The Trustees may in their sole discretion
from time to time distribute to the Shareholders of any series
such income and gains, accrued or realized, as the Trustees may
determine, after providing for actual and accrued expenses and
liabilities of such series (including such reserves as the
Trustees may establish) determined in accordance with this
Declaration of Trust and 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 to any series, if any be made, shall be in Shares
of such series, in cash or otherwise and on a 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 series as of a record date or dates determined by the
Trustees, in Shares of such series, 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. Except to the extent
otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or
relative rights or privileges of any classes of Shares of that
series, 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 distributions from assets of a series may
only be made to the holders of the Shares of such series and
provided that no distributions 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
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. Any
distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net asset value
thereof as determined in accordance with this Declaration of
Trust. The Trustees have the power, in their discretion, to
distribute for any year amounts sufficient to enable the Trust to
qualify as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal
Revenue Code as amended (or any successor thereto) to avoid any
liability for federal income tax in respect of that year.
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Redemptions and Repurchases
Section 2. Any holder of Shares of the Trust may, by
presentation of a request in proper form, together with his
certificates, if any, for such Shares, in proper form for
transfer to the Trust or duly authorized agent of the Trust,
request redemption of his shares for the net asset value thereof
determined and computed in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 2 and the provisions of Section 6 of this Article VI.
Upon receipt by the Trust or its duly authorized agent, as
the case may be, of such a request for redemption of Shares in
proper form, such Shares shall be redeemed at the net asset value
per share of the particular series or class next determined after
such request is received or determined as of such other time
fixed by the Trustees as may be permitted or required by the ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇. The criteria for determining what constitutes a request for
redemption in proper form and the time of receipt of such request
shall be fixed by the Trustees.
The obligation of the Trust to redeem its Shares as set
forth above in this Section 2 shall be subject to the condition
that such obligation may be suspended by the Trust by or under
authority of the Trustees during any period or periods when and
to the extent permissible under the 1940 Act. If there is such a
suspension, any Shareholder may withdraw any request for
redemption which has been received by the Trust during any such
period and the applicable net asset value with respect to 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.
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 Trustee 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. Shares redeemed or
repurchased by the Trust hereunder shall be cancelled upon such
redemption or repurchase without further action by the Trust or
the Trustees and the number of issued and outstanding Shares of
the relevant series and class shall thereupon be reduced by such
amount.
Payment for Shares Redeemed
Section 3. Payment of the redemption price for Shares
redeemed pursuant to this Article VI shall be made by the Trust
or its duly authorized agent after receipt by the Trust or its
duly authorized agent of a request for redemption in proper form
(together with any certificates for such Shares as provided in
Section 2 above) in accordance with procedures and subject to
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conditions prescribed by the Trustees; provided, however, that
payment may be postponed during the period in which the
redemption of Shares is suspended under Section 2 above. Subject
to any generally applicable limitation imposed by the Trustees,
any payment on redemption, purchase or repurchase by the Trust 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,
purchased or repurchased (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 and from time to time to redeem Shares of any
Shareholder at the net asset value thereof as determined in
accordance with Section 6 of this Article VI, if at such time
such Shareholder owns fewer shares of a series or class than, or
Shares of a series or class having an aggregate net asset value
of less than, an amount determined from time to time by the
Trustees. Any such redemption at the option of the Trust shall
be made in accordance with such other criteria and procedures for
determining the Shares to be redeemed, the redemption date and
the means of effecting such redemption as the Trustees may from
time to time authorize.
Additional Provisions Relating to Dividends, Redemptions and
Repurchases
Section 5. The completion of redemption, purchase or
repurchase of Shares shall constitute a full discharge of the
Trust and the Trustees with respect to such Shares. No dividend
or distribution (including, without limitation, any distribution
paid upon termination of the Trust or of any series or class)
with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares
of any series or class shall be effected by the Trust other than
from the assets of such series.
Determination of Net Asset Value
Section 6. The term "net asset value" of each Share of a
series or class as of any particular time shall be the quotient
obtained by dividing the value, as at such time, of the net
assets of such series or class (i.e., the value of the assets of
such series or class less the liabilities of such series or
class, exclusive of liabilities represented by the Shares of such
series or class) by the total number of Shares of such series or
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class outstanding at such time, all determined and computed in
accordance with the Trust's current prospectus.
The Trustees, or any officer, or officers or agent of the
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 time or 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.
Determinations in accordance with this Section 6 made in
good faith shall be binding on all parties concerned.
How Long Shares are Outstanding
Section 7. Shares of the Trust surrendered to the Trust
for redemption by it pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 of
this Article VI shall be deemed to be outstanding until the
redemption price thereof is determined pursuant to this Article
VI and, thereupon and until paid, the redemption price thereof
shall be deemed to be a liability of the Trust. Shares of the
Trust purchased by the Trust in the open market shall be deemed
to be outstanding until confirmation of purchase thereof by the
Trust and, thereupon and until paid, the purchase price thereof
shall be deemed to be a liability of the Trust. Shares of the
Trust redeemed by the Trust pursuant to Section 4 of this Article
VI shall be deemed to be outstanding until said Shares are deemed
to be redeemed in accordance with procedures adopted by the
Trustees pursuant to said Section 4.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability
of Trustees and Shareholders
Section 1. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust if the rate thereof is
prescribed by such Trustees. 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, it being recognized that such
employment may result in such Trustee being considered an
Affiliated Person or an Interested Person.
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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, investment adviser or manager, principal
underwriter or custodian, nor shall any Trustee be responsible
for the act or omission of any other Trustee. Nothing in this
Declaration of Trust shall protect any Trustee against any
liability to which such Trustee would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the
office of Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate, 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 capacity as Trustees or Trustee and neither such Trustees or
Trustee nor the Shareholders shall be personally liable thereon.
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 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 or a particular series of Shares, and
may contain such further recital as he 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.
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, as the case may be, 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.
Trustees' Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety
Section 3. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers
and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone
interested. A Trustee shall be liable only for his own willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of
the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and
for nothing else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment
or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees may take advice of
counsel
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or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation
of this Declaration of Trust and their duties as Trustees
hereunder, and shall be under no liability for any act or
omission in accordance with such advice or for failing to
follow such advice. In discharging their duties, the Trustees,
when acting in good faith, shall be entitled to rely upon the
books of account of the Trust and upon written reports made to
the Trustees by any officer appointed by them, any independent
public accountant and (with respect to the subject matter of the
contract involved) any officer, partner or responsible employee
of any other party to any contract entered into pursuant to
Section 2 of Article IV. 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 4. 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.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in this
Article, every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or officer
of the Trust (including persons who serve at the request of the
Trust as directors, officers or trustees of another organization
in which the Trust has an interest as a shareholder, creditor or
otherwise) hereinafter referred to as a "Covered Person", shall
be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by
law against liability and against all expenses reasonably
incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action,
suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or
otherwise by virtue of his being or having been such a Trustee,
director or officer and against amounts paid or incurred by him
in settlement thereof.
No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered
Person:
(a) against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders
by reason of a final adjudication by the court or other body
before which the proceeding was brought that he engaged in
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office;
(b) with respect to any matter as to which he shall have
been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the
reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the
Trust; or
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(c) in the event of a settlement or other disposition not
involving a final adjudication (as provided in paragraph (a) or
(b)) and resulting in a payment by a Covered Person, unless there
has been either a determination that such Covered Person did not
engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his
office by the court or other body approving the settlement or
other disposition or a reasonable determination, based on a
review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-
type inquiry) that he did not engage in such conduct:
(i) by a vote of a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the
Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter); or
(ii) by written opinion of independent legal
counsel.
The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured
against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable,
shall not affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may
now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who
has ceased to be such a Covered Person and shall inure to the
benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a
person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to
indemnification to which Trust personnel other than Covered
Persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.
Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any
claim, action, suit or proceeding subject to a claim for
indemnification under this Article shall be advanced by the Trust
prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking
by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is
ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification
under this Article, provided that either:
(a) such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some
other appropriate security or the Trust shall be insured against
losses arising out of any such advances; or
(b) a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the
matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees
then in office act on the matter) or independent legal counsel in
a written opinion shall determine, based upon a review of the
readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type
inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the recipient
ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
As used in this Article, a "Disinterested Trustee" is one
(a) who is not an "interested person" of the Trust, as defined in
the 1940 Act (including anyone who has been exempted from being
an "interested person" by any rule, regulation or order of the
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Commission), and (b) against whom none of such actions, suits or
other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on
the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending.
As used in this Article, the words "claim", "action", "suit"
or "proceeding" shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or
proceedings (civil, criminal or other, including appeals), actual
or threatened; and the words "liability" and "expenses" shall
include without limitation, attorneys' fees, cost, judgments,
amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other
liabilities.
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; provided, however, there shall be no
liability or obligation of the Trust arising hereunder to
reimburse any Shareholder for taxes paid by reason of such
Shareholder's ownership of Shares or for losses suffered by
reason of any changes in value of any Trust assets.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
Duration, Termination and Reorganization of Trust
Section 1. Unless terminated as provided herein, the
Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The Trust may
be terminated at any time by the Trustees by written notice to
the Shareholders without a vote of the Shareholders of the Trust
or by the vote of the Shareholders entitled to vote more than
fifty percent (50%) of the votes of each series or class entitled
to be cast on the matter. Any series or class of Shares may be
terminated at any time by the Trustees by written notice to the
Shareholders of such series or class without a vote of the
Shareholders of such series or class or by the vote of the
Shareholders of such series or class entitled to vote more than
fifty percent (50%) of the votes entitled to be cast on the
matter.
Upon termination of the Trust or of any one or more series
or classes of Shares, after paying or otherwise providing for all
charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or accrued
or anticipated, of the particular series or class as may be
determined by the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with
such procedures as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce to
the extent necessary
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the remaining assets of the particular series to distributable
form in cash or other securities, or any combination thereof, and
distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the series or
class involved, ratably according to the number of Shares of such
series or class held by the several Shareholders of such series
or class on the date of termination. Any such distributions
with respect to any series which has one or more classes of
Shares outstanding shall be made ratably to such classes in the
same proportion as the number of Shares of each class bears to
the total number of Shares of the series, except to the extent
otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or
relative rights or privileges of any classes of Shares of any
such series.
At any time by the affirmative vote of the Shareholders of
the affected series entitled to vote more than fifty percent
(50%) of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, the
Trustees may sell, convey and transfer the assets of the Trust,
or the assets belonging to any one or more series, to another
trust, partnership, association or corporation organized under
the laws of any state of the United States, or to the Trust to be
held as assets belonging to another series of the Trust, in
exchange for cash, shares or other securities (including, in the
case of a transfer to another series of the Trust, Shares of such
other series) with such transfer being made subject to or with
the assumption by the transferee of, the liabilities belonging to
each series the assets of which are so distributed. Following
such transfer, the Trustees shall distribute such cash, shares or
other securities (giving due effect to the assets and liabilities
belonging to and any other differences among the various series
the assets belonging to which have so been transferred) among the
Shareholders of the series the assets belonging to which have
been so transferred; and if all the assets of the Trust have been
so distributed, the Trust shall be terminated.
Filing of Copies, References, Headings
Section 2. The original or a copy of this instrument and
of each amendment hereto shall be kept at the office of the Trust
where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. A copy of this
instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be filed by the
Trust with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and with the Boston City Clerk, as well as any
other governmental office where such filing may from time to time
be required. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a
certificate by any officer of the Trust as to whether or not any
such amendments have been made and as to any matters in
connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as
if it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an
officer of the Trust to be a copy of this instrument or of any
such amendments. In this instrument and in any such amendment,
references to this instrument, and all expressions like "herein",
"hereof", and "hereunder", shall be deemed to refer to this
instrument as amended from time to time.
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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 3. 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 4. 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 vote of Shareholders
holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the Shares of each
series entitled to vote, except that an amendment which in the
determination of the Trustees shall affect the holders of one or
more series or classes of Shares but not the holders of all
outstanding series and classes shall be authorized by vote of the
Shareholders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the Shares
entitled to vote of each series or 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 provision which is defective or
inconsistent with the 1940 Act or with the requirements of the
Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder for the
Trust's obtaining the most favorable treatment
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thereunder available to regulated investment companies shall not
require authorization by Shareholder vote.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his
hand and seal for himself and his assigns, as of the day and year
first above written.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ III
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(SEAL) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ III, Trustee
Residence Address:
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇., ▇▇▇. ▇▇
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▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
County of Suffolk, ss.
Then personally appeared the above-named ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
III who acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act
and deed, before me this 12 day of June, 1995.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
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Notary Public
My Commission Expires: Aug 7 1998
Address of Trust:
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
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