Communications and transit > Enquiry on national public works

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warehouses for State supplies, consisting of four stories and covering 7,831.25 square
metres; a Presidential residence; a mint; courts of justice in the capital; two Government
buildings; an Institute of Forensic Medicine; an Institute of Bacteriology; an Advanced
School of Engineering and Architecture; a Dental School; a school for the study of
pharmacy; four buildings intended for secondary education; four large primary schools
in different parts of the country; a training-school for primary teachers; a building to
be used by the police for identification purposes; two police barracks; a polytechnic for
minors; offices for the administration of the national water-supply and sewage disposal
services; a building containing laboratories for the fiscal control services; a stadium and
four heated swimming-pools; a fruit depot and packing-house for the export of fruit;
and a large number of less important works.
(a) The following works, which were begun in 1929, have been suspended : a Govern¬
ment building; an historical museum; a natural history museum; two large primary
schools; a building for the research services, and a stadium.
(b) The following works, which were also begun in 1929, are not yet completed but
are in use : a court of justice; two communal dwellings for workmen; a secondary school
at Santiago; premises for various public administrative and judicial services in two towns;
a stadium.
A request has been made for the insertion next year of a sum of 27 million pesos
in the general budget law of the Republic for the construction of the following buildings :
two buildings for various public administrative and judicial services in two towns; a
building for the General Directorate of Customs of the Republic; another for Posts and
Telegraphs; eight prisons; a school of mining and nitre exploitation; two police barracks;
a building for the Treasury and Revenue Office; twenty-one primary schools; a technical
education wing to be added to the School of Arts and Crafts; an industrial training school;
a wine cellar, and a zootechnical station.
The works are carried out for the Administration by private treaty and, at the
present time, chiefly by means of contracts for which public tenders are invited, these
contracts being placed either on inclusive terms or at prices per unit.
During the period when the economic crisis was at its height in the country, most
of the works were carried out by the Administration itself, so as to provide work for the
largest possible number of men without having recourse to contractors and avoiding the
use of machinery.
During the years 1929-1931 inclusive, the works were borne on the extraordinary
budget of the Republic, which was financed by foreign loans.
Since 1932, the works have been borne on the ordinary budget, funds being also
provided under special laws designed to give employment to the unemployed on public
works. These funds are raised by internal loans and various general contributions or
taxes.