40-8F-2 1 mligb.txt 40-8F-2 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form N-8F Application for Deregistration of Certain Registered Investment Companies. I. General Identifying Information 1. Reason fund is applying to deregister (check only one; for descriptions, see Instruction 1 above): [x] Merger [ ] Liquidation [ ] Abandonment of Registration (Note: Abandonments of Registration answer only questions 1 through 15, 24 and 25 of this form and complete verification at the end of the form.) [ ] Election of status as a Business Development Company (Note: Business Development Companies answer only questions 1 through 10 of this form and complete verification at the end of the form.) 2. Name of fund: Merrill Lynch Intermediate Government Bond Fund 3. Securities and Exchange Commission File No.: 811-4839 4. Is this an initial Form N-8F or an amendment to a previously filed Form N-8F? [x] Initial Application [ ] Amendment 5. Address of Principal Executive Office (include No. & Street, City, State, Zip Code): 800 Scudders Mill Road Plainsboro, New Jersey 08543-9011 6. Name, address and telephone number of individual the Commission staff should contact with any questions regarding this form: Richard Horowitz Clifford Chance Rogers & Wells LLP 200 Park Avenue New York, New York 10166 Tel: 212-878-8110 7. Name, address and telephone number of individual or entity responsible for maintenance and preservation of fund records in accordance with rules 31a-l and 31a-2 under the Act [17 CFR 270.31a-l, 31a-2]: NOTE: Once deregistered, a fund is still required to maintain and preserve the records described in rules 31a-l and 3la-2 for the periods specified in those rules. Phillip S. Gillespie Merrill Lynch Investment Managers 800 Scudders Mill Road Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536 Tel: 609-282-8424 State Street Bank and Trust Company P.O. Box 351 Boston, Massachusetts 02101 Tel: 617-451-8147 8. Classification of fund (check only one): [x] Management company; [ ] Unit investment trust; or [ ] Face-amount certificate company. 9. Subclassification if the fund is a management company (check only one): [x] Open-end [ ] Closed-end 10. State law under which the fund was organized or formed (e.g., Delaware, Massachusetts): Massachusetts. 11. Provide the name and address of each investment adviser of the fund (including sub-advisers) during the last five years, even if the fund's contracts with those advisers have been terminated: Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. P.O. Box 9011 Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011 Merrill Lynch Asset Management U.K. Limited Milton Gate 1 Moor Lane London EC2Y 9H, England 12. Provide the name and address of each principal underwriter of the fund during the last five years, even if the fund's contracts with those underwriters have been terminated: FAM Distributors, Inc. P.O. Box 9081 Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9081 13. If the fund is a unit investment trust ("UIT") provide: Not Applicable (a) Depositor's name(s) and address(es) (b) Trustee's name(s) and address(es) 14. Is there a UIT registered under the Act that served as a vehicle for investment in the fund (e.g., an insurance company separate account)? [ ] Yes [x] No If Yes, for each UIT state: Name(s): File No. : 811-_________ Business Address: 15. (a) Did the fund obtain approval from the board of directors concerning the decision to engage in a Merger, Liquidation or Abandonment of Registration? [x] Yes [ ] No If Yes, state the date on which the board vote took place: June 6, 2000 If No, explain: (b) Did the fund obtain approval from the shareholders concerning the decision to engage in a Merger, Liquidation or Abandonment of Registration? [x] Yes [ ] No If Yes, state the date on which the shareholder vote took place: November 21, 2000 If No, explain: II. Distributions to Shareholders 16. Has the fund distributed any assets to its shareholders in connection with the Merger or Liquidation? [x] Yes [ ] No (a) If Yes, list the date(s) on which the fund made those distributions: 12/15/00 (b) Were the distributions made on the basis of net assets? [x] Yes [ ] No (c) Were the distributions made pro rata based on share ownership? [x] Yes [ ] No (d) If No to (b) or (c) above, describe the method of distributions to shareholders. For Mergers, provide the exchange ratio(s) used and explain how it was calculated: (e) Liquidations only: Were any distributions to shareholders made in kind? [ ] Yes [ ] No If Yes, indicate the percentage of fund shares owned by affiliates, or any other affiliation of shareholders: 17. Closed-end funds only: Has the fund issued senior securities? [ ] Yes [ ] No If Yes, describe the method of calculating payments to senior securityholders and distributions to other shareholders: 18. Has the fund distributed all of its assets to the fund's shareholders? [x] Yes [ ] No If No, (a) How many shareholders does the fund have as of the date this form is filed? (b) Describe the relationship of each remaining shareholder to the fund: 19. Are there any shareholders who have not yet received distributions in complete liquidation of their interests? [ ] Yes [x] No If Yes, describe briefly the plans (if any) for distributing to, or preserving the interests of, those shareholders: III. Assets and Liabilities 20. Does the fund have any assets as of the date this form is filed? (See question 18 above) [ ] Yes [x] No If Yes, (a) Describe the type and amount of each asset retained by the fund as of the date this form is filed: (b) Why has the fund retained the remaining assets? (c) Will the remaining assets be invested in securities? [ ] Yes [] No 21. Does the fund have any outstanding debts (other than face-amount certificates if the fund is a face-amount certificate company) or any other liabilities? [x] Yes [x] No If Yes, (a) Describe the type and amount of each debt or other liability: As of ________________, the Fund had the following liabilities that had accrued or were expected to accrue through the date of complete winding up of the Fund: Legal Fees......................................... $______ Investment Management Fees......................... ______ Directors' Fees and Expenses....................... ______ Reports and Notices to Shareholders................ ______ Transfer Agent's Fees and Expenses................. ______ Administration Fees................................ ______ New York Stock Exchange Listing Fees................ ______ Recordkeeping Fees.................................. ______ Custodian's Fees and Expenses....................... ______ Miscellaneous Expenses.............................. ______ Total $_____ (b) How does the fund intend to pay these outstanding debts or other liabilities? Information About Event(s) Leading to Request For Deregistration 22. (a) List the expenses incurred in connection with the Merger or Liquidation: (i) Legal expenses: $14,880.56 (ii) Accounting expenses: $17,850 (iii) Other expenses (list and identify separately) Proxy Solicitation................. $ 22,062.70 Printing........................... 28,994.66 Miscellaneous...................... 20,300.00 --------- Total $71,357.36 (iv)Total expenses (sum of lines (i) - (iii) above): $230,087.92 (b) How were those expenses allocated? Merger expenses were estimated based upon amounts invoiced in connection with liquidation and dissolution and upon discussions with the Fund's various creditors. These expenses were then deducted from the surviving Fund's net assets, subsequent to the exchange date. (c) Who paid those expenses? The surviving Fund. (d) How did the fund pay for unamortized expenses (if any)? Not Applicable 23. Has the fund previously filed an application for an order of the Commission regarding the Merger or Liquidation? [ ] Yes [x] No If Yes, cite the release numbers of the Commission's notice and order or, if no notice or order has been issued, the file number and date the application was filed: V. Conclusion of Fund Business 24. Is the fund a party to any litigation or administrative proceeding? [ ] Yes [x] No If Yes, describe the nature of any litigation or proceeding and the position taken by the fund in that litigation: 25. Is the fund now engaged, or intending to engage, in any business activities other than those necessary for winding up its affairs? [ ] Yes [x] No If Yes, describe the nature and extent of those activities: VI. Mergers Only 26. (a) State the name of the fund surviving the Merger: Merrill Lynch Short Term U.S. Government Fund, Inc. (b) State the Investment Company Act file number of the fund surviving the Merger: 811-6304 (c) If the merger or reorganization agreement has been filed with the Commission, state the file number(s), form type used and date the agreement was filed: 811-6304 Form N-14 July 14, 2000 (d) If the merger or reorganization agreement has not been filed with the Commission, provide a copy of the agreement as an exhibit to this form. VERIFICATION The undersigned states that (i) he has executed this Form N-8F application for an order under section 8(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 on behalf of Merrill Lynch Intermediate Government Bond Fund, (ii) he is the Secretary of Merrill Lynch Intermediate Government Bond Fund, and (iii) all actions by shareholders, directors, and any other body necessary to authorize the undersigned to execute and file this Form N-8F application have been taken. The undersigned also states that the facts set forth in this Form N-8F application are true to the best of her knowledge, information and belief. Signature: /s/ Phillip S. Gillespie Phillip S. Gillespie