On Friday, Saturday and Sunday (March 23, 24 and 25) Major Wright and his assistant, both of a group of British experts who are in Canada to locate aeroplane factories, were in Whitby at the home of Mayor Warren. During their three days’ stay here they inspected a number of prospective sites for a factory, going all the way from the lakeshore back to a distance of four miles north of the shore.
What was required by the commission was two sites of 220 acres of flat treeless land, the second site, to provide a landing place for planes starting from the first. The engineers were exactly satisfied with the land they saw on the lake shore east of Heydenshore Park, but had difficulty in locating a suitable second site. On Sunday evening (Mar. 25) they were obliged to go further and to consider another town where a factory is proposed, but they may return here for further investigation. In the meantime, Mayor Warren, Reeve Downey and F. H. Annes have another site in mind, which was visited on Monday (March 26).
It is understood that Oshawa is also making a bid for the location there of a factory. Possibly if Oshawa can provide one suitable site, in addition to the one already approved at the lake shore here, the Board of British experts might decide upon a factory in this vicinity.
At any rate, the fact that Major Knight spent three days here is evidence that the lake site was satisfactory and worth the time spent to locate to locate a companion site. Whitby is apparently under serious consideration, at any rate, and the citizens of the town have reason to be hopeful.
