There are in existence numerous charitable funds which provide financial assistance to members or their dependants in the form of either grants or annuities and of which the principal characteristics are usually:

(1) that the benefits are neither legally claimable nor clearly defined,

(2) that membership is voluntary,

(3) that the members' contributions are usually inadequate to support the benefits, and

(4) that donations, voluntary subscriptions and legacies frequently form a large part of the income.