TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
between
LEXINGTON STRATEGIC SILVER FUND, INC.
and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article 1 Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank
Article 2 Fees and Expenses
Article 3 Representations and Warranties of the Bank
Article 4 Representations and Warranties of the Fund
Article 5 Data Access and Proprietary Information
Article 6 Indemnification
Article 7 Standard of Care
Article 8 Covenants of the Fund and the Bank
Article 9 Termination of Agreement
Article 10 Assignment
Article 11 Amendment
Article 12 Massachusetts Law to Apply
Article 13 Force Majeure
Article 14 Consequential Damages
Article 15 Merger of Agreement
Article 16 Counterparts
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 8th day of June, 1992, by and between
Lexington Strategic Silver Fund, Inc., a corporation, having its principal
office and place of business at Park ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, (the "Fund"), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a
Massachusetts trust company having its principal office and place of business
at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to appoint the Bank as its transfer agent,
dividend disbursing agent, custodian of certain retirement plans and agent in
connection with certain other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such
appointment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Article l Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank
1.01 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement, the Fund hereby employs and appoints the Bank to act as, and
the Bank agrees to act as its transfer agent for the Fund's authorized and
issued shares of its common stock, $____ par value, ("Shares"), dividend
disbursing agent, custodian of certain retirement plans and agent in
connection with any accumulation, open-account or similar plans provided to
the shareholders of the Fund ("Shareholders") and set out in the currently
effective prospectus and statement of additional information ("prospectus")
of the Fund, including without limitation any periodic investment plan or
periodic withdrawal program.
1.02 The Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time by
agreement between the Fund and the Bank, the Bank shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of Shares,
and promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation
thereof to the Custodian of the Fund authorized pursuant to
the Articles of Incorporation of the Fund (the "Custodian");
(ii) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate number of
Shares and hold such Shares in the appropriate Shareholder
account;
(iii) Receive for acceptance redemption requests and redemption
directions and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof
to the Custodian;
(iv) In respect to the transactions in items (i), (ii) and (iii)
above, the Bank shall execute transactions directly with
broker-dealers authorized by the Fund who shall thereby be
deemed to be acting on behalf of the Fund;
(v) At the appropriate time as and when it receives monies
paid to it by the Custodian with respect to any redemption, pay
over or cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such
monies as instructed by the redeeming Shareholders;
(vi) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners thereof
upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(vii) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and distributions
declared by the Fund;
(viii)Issue replacement certificates for those certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed upon receipt
by the Bank of indemnification satisfactory to the Bank and
protecting the Bank and the Fund, and the Bank at its option,
may issue replacement certificates in place of mutilated
stock certificates upon presentation thereof and without such
indemnity;
(ix) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund and its
Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(x) Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and maintain
pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of the total number
of shares of the Fund which are authorized, based upon data
provided to it by the Fund, and issued and outstanding. The
Bank shall also provide the Fund on a regular basis with the
total number of shares which are authorized and issued and
outstanding and shall have no obligation, when recording the
issuance of shares, to monitor the issuance of such shares or
to take cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale
of such shares, which functions shall be the sole
responsibility of the Fund.
(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of
the services set forth in the above paragraph (a), the Bank shall:
(i) perform the customary services of a transfer agent, dividend disbursing
agent, custodian of certain retirement plans and, as relevant, agent in
connection with accumulation, open-account or similar plans (including
without limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal
program), including but not limited to: maintaining all Shareholder
accounts, preparing Shareholder meeting lists, mailing proxies, mailing
Shareholder reports and prospectuses to current Shareholders, withholding
taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts, preparing and filing
U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate forms required with
respect to dividends and distributions by federal authorities for all
Shareholders, preparing and mailing confirmation forms and statements of
account to Shareholders for all purchases and redemptions of Shares and other
confirmable transactions in Shareholder accounts, preparing and mailing
activity statements for Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account
information and (ii) provide a system which will enable the Fund to monitor
the total number of Shares sold in each State.
(c) In addition, the Fund shall (i) identify to the Bank in
writing those transactions and assets to be treated as exempt from blue sky
reporting for each State and (ii) verify the establishment of transactions
for each State on the system prior to activation and thereafter monitor the
daily activity for each State. The responsibility of the Bank for the Fund's
blue sky State registration status is solely limited to the initial
establishment of transactions subject to blue sky compliance by the Fund and
the reporting of such transactions to the Fund as provided above.
(d) Procedures as to who shall provide certain of these services
in Article 1 may be established from time to time by agreement between the
Fund and the Bank per the attached service responsibility schedule. The Bank
may at times perform only a portion of these services and the Fund or its
agent may perform these services on the Fund's behalf.
(e) The Bank shall provide additional services on behalf of the
Fund (i.e., escheatment services) which may be agreed upon in writing between
the Fund and the Bank.
Article 2 Fees and Expenses
2.01 For the performance by the Bank pursuant to this
Agreement, the Fund agrees to pay the Bank an annual maintenance fee for each
Shareholder account as set out in the initial fee schedule attached hereto.
Such fees and out-of-pocket expenses and advances identified under Section
2.02 below may be changed from time to time subject to mutual written
agreement between the Fund and the Bank.
2.02 In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.01 above, the
Fund agrees to reimburse the Bank for out-of-pocket expenses, including but
not limited to confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm,
microfiche, tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the
Bank for the items set out in the fee schedule attached hereto. In addition,
any other expenses incurred by the Bank at the request or with the consent of
the Fund, will be reimbursed by the Fund.
2.03 The Fund agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses
within five days following the receipt of the respective billing notice.
Postage for mailing of dividends, proxies, Fund reports and other mailings to
all shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Bank by the Fund at least
seven (7) days prior to the mailing date of such materials.
Article 3 Representations and Warranties of the Bank
The Bank represents and warrants to the Fund that:
3.01 It is a trust company duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.02 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.03 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and
By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.04 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to
authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.05 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary
facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations
under this Agreement.
Article 4 Representations and Warranties of the Fund
The Fund represents and warrants to the Bank that:
4.01 It is a corporation duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of.
4.02 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Articles of
Incorporation and By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.03 All corporate proceedings required by said Articles of
Incorporation and By-Laws have been taken to authorize it to enter into and
perform this Agreement.
4.04 It is an open-end and diversified management investment
company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.05 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended is currently effective and will remain effective, and appropriate
state securities law filings have been made and will continue to be made,
with respect to all Shares of the Fund being offered for sale.
Article 5 Data Access and Proprietary Information
5.01 The Fund acknowledges that the data bases,
computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design
techniques, and documentation manuals furnished to the Fund by the Bank as
part of the Fund's ability to access certain Fund-related data ("Customer
Data") maintained by the Bank on data bases under the control and ownership
of the Bank or other third party ("Data Access Services") constitute
copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively,
"Proprietary Information") of substantial value to the Bank or other third
party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be deemed Customer Data.
The Fund agrees to treat all Proprietary Information as proprietary to the
Bank and further agrees that it shall not divulge any Proprietary Information
to any person or organization except as may be provided hereunder. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Fund agrees for itself and its employees and
agents:
(a) to access Customer Data solely from locations as may be
designated in writing by the Bank and solely in accordance
with the Bank's applicable user documentation;
(b) to refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the
Proprietary Information;
(c) to refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion
of the Proprietary Information, and if such access is
inadvertently obtained, to inform in a timely manner of such
fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the
Bank's instructions;
(d) to refrain from causing or allowing third-party data acquired
hereunder from being retransmitted to any other computer
facility or other location, except with the prior written
consent of the Bank;
(e) that the Fund shall have access only to those authorized
transactions agreed upon by the parties;
(f) to honor all reasonable written requests made by the Bank to
protect at the Bank's expense the
rights of the Bank in Proprietary Information at common law,
under federal copyright law and under other federal or state
law.
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their
obligations pursuant to this Article 5. The obligations of this Article
shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
5.02 If the Fund notifies the Bank that any of the Data Access
Services do not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued
user documentation for such services, the Bank shall endeavor in a timely
manner to correct such failure. Organizations from which the Bank may obtain
certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely responsible for
the contents of such data and the Fund agrees to make no claim against the
Bank arising out of the contents of such third-party data, including, but not
limited to, the accuracy thereof. DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER
PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE
PROVIDED ON AN AS IS, AS AVAILABLE BASIS. THE BANK EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL
WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.
5.03 If the transactions available to the Fund include
the ability to originate electronic instructions to the Bank in order to (i)
effect the transfer or movement of cash or Shares or (ii) transmit Shareholder
information or other information (such transactions constituting a "COEFI"),
then in such event the Bank shall be entitled to rely on the validity and
authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any further inquiry as
long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with security procedures
established by the Bank from time to time.
Article 6 Indemnification
6.01 The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the
Fund shall indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from and against, any and all
losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and
liability arising out of or attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Bank or its agent or subcontractors
required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such actions
are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The Fund's lack of good faith, negligence or willful
misconduct which arise out of the breach of any representation or warranty of
the Fund hereunder.
(c) The reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or
subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which (i) are
received by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors, and (ii) have been
prepared, maintained or performed by the Fund or any other person or firm on
behalf of the Fund including but not limited to any previous transfer agent
or registrar.
(d) The reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its agents
or subcontractors of any instructions or requests of the Fund.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement
under the federal securities laws or regulations or the securities laws or
regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in such state or in
violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal
agency or any state with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in such
state.
6.02 At any time the Bank may apply to any officer of the Fund for
instructions, and may consult with legal counsel with respect to any matter
arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Bank under this
Agreement, and the Bank and its agents or subcontractors shall not be liable
and shall be indemnified by the Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in
reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel. The
Bank, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in
acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on behalf of the Fund,
reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper
person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or
documents provided the Bank or its agents or subcontractors by machine
readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized by
the Fund, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of
any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Fund. The Bank,
its agents and subcontractors shall also be protected and indemnified in
recognizing stock certificates which are reasonably believed to bear the
proper manual or facsimile signatures of the officers of the Fund, and the
proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or former registrar, or
of a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
6.03 In order that the indemnification provisions
contained in this Article 6 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for
which the Fund may be required to indemnify the Bank, the Bank shall promptly
notify the Fund of such assertion, and shall keep the Fund advised with
respect to all developments concerning such claim. The Fund shall have the
option to participate with the Bank in the defense of such claim or to defend
against said claim in its own name or in the name of the Bank. The Bank
shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in
which the Fund may be required to indemnify the Bank except with the Fund's
prior written consent.
Article 7 Standard of Care
7.01 The Bank shall at all times act in good faith and
agrees to use its best efforts within reasonable limits to insure the
accuracy of all services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no
responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors
unless said errors are caused by its negligence, bad faith, or willful
misconduct of that of its employees.
Article 8 Covenants of the Fund and the Bank
8.01 The Fund shall promptly furnish to the Bank the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors
of the Fund authorizing the appointment of the Bank and the execution and
delivery of this Agreement.
(b) A copy of the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the
Fund and all amendments thereto.
8.02 The Bank hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities
and procedures reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any;
and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of such certificates,
forms and devices.
8.03 The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be
performed hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the
extent required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, and the Rules thereunder, the Bank agrees that all such records
prepared or maintained by the Bank relating to the services to be performed
by the Bank hereunder are the property of the Fund and will be preserved,
maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and
will be surrendered promptly to the Fund on and in accordance with its
request.
8.04 The Bank and the Fund agree that all books, records,
information and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are
exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this
Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed
to any other person, except as may be required by law.
8.05 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
Shareholder records of the Fund, the Bank will endeavor to notify the Fund
and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Fund as to such
inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to exhibit the Shareholder
records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it may be
held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such person.
Article 9 Termination of Agreement
9.01 This Agreement may be terminated by either party
upon one hundred twenty (120) days written notice to the other.
9.02 Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate,
all out-of-pocket expenses associated with the movement of records and
material will be borne by the Fund. Additionally, the Bank reserves the
right to charge for any other reasonable expenses associated with such
termination and/or a charge equivalent to the average of three (3) months'
fees.
Article 10 Assignment
10.01 Except as provided in Section 10.03 below, neither
this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by
either party without the written consent of the other party.
10.02 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
10.03 The Bank may, without further consent on the part of the
Fund, subcontract for the performance hereof with (i) Boston Financial Data
Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation ("BFDS") which is duly registered
as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(1) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended ("Section 17A(c)(1)"), (ii) a BFDS subsidiary duly
registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(1) or (iii) a BFDS
affiliate; provided, however, that the Bank shall be as fully responsible to
the Fund for the acts and omissions of any subcontractor as it is for its own
acts and omissions.
Article 11 Amendment
11.01 This Agreement may be amended or modified by a
written agreement executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Fund.
Article 12 Massachusetts Law to Apply
12.01 This Agreement shall be construed and the
provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Article 13 Force Majeure
13.01 In the event either party is unable to perform its
obligations under the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God,
strikes, equipment or transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its
control, or other causes reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not
be liable for damages to the other for any damages resulting from such
failure to perform or otherwise from such causes.
Article 14 Consequential Damages
14.01 Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to
the other party for consequential damages under any provision of this
Agreement or for any consequential damages arising out of any act or failure
to act hereunder.
Article 15 Merger of Agreement
15.01 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to
the subject matter hereof whether oral or written.
Article 16 Counterparts
16.01 This Agreement may be executed by the parties
hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken
together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly
authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.
LEXINGTON STRATEGIC SILVER FUND, INC.
BY:
___________________________________
Vice President
ATTEST:
_________________________________
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY:
____________________________________
Senior Vice President
ATTEST:
___________________________________
STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
FUND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES*
Service Performed Responsibility
----------------- --------------
Bank Fund
---- ----
1. Receives orders for the purchase
of Shares.
2. Issue Shares and hold Shares in
Shareholders accounts.
3. Receive redemption requests.
4. Effect transactions 1-3 above
directly with broker-dealers.
5. Pay over monies to redeeming
Shareholders.
6. Effect transfers of Shares.
7. Prepare and transmit dividends
and distributions.
8. Issue Replacement Certificates.
9. Reporting of abandoned property.
10. Maintain records of account.
11. Maintain and keep a current and
accurate control book for each
issue of securities.
12. Mail proxies.
13. Mail Shareholder reports.
14. Mail prospectuses to current
Shareholders.
15. Withhold taxes on U.S. resident
and non-resident alien accounts.
Service Performed Responsibility
----------------- --------------
Bank Fund
---- ----
16. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury
Department forms.
17. Prepare and mail account and
confirmation statements for
Shareholders.
18. Provide Shareholder account
information.
19. Blue sky reporting.
* Such services are more fully described in Article 1.02 (a), (b) and (c)
of the Agreement.
LEXINGTON STRATEIC SILVER FUND, INC.
BY:
__________________________________
Vice President
ATTEST:
________________________________
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY:
___________________________________
Vice President
ATTEST:
__________________________________