dollars in compensation to guests struck down by a mystery bug last weekend.

Compensation talks will be held later today between management and representatives from the Coalition for the Protection of Children -- the charity whose fund raising dinner at the hotel last Saturday was ruined when guests were struck down by the bug.

The talks have fuelled speculation that the disease spread through contaminated water at the hotel and not as an airborne virus as claimed by health officials.

Last night Coalition chairwoman Sheelagh Cooper confirmed that the hotel had contacted her.

"I wrote to the hotel suggesting that compensation of $15,000 -- the amount we paid them for the dinner -- should be paid.

"They have now called back and I will be meeting with management tomorrow to discuss the issue.

"It does look as though they are prepared to listen to what we have to say.

They seem very willing to want to so something reflective of the problems they have caused. They are genuinely concerned.'' Mrs. Cooper said that, while she believed hotel bosses did everything they could to stop the disease, at the end of the day they must take responsibility.

And she also emphasised that, while today's talks might resolve the question of compensation for the charity, there was no reason for individual guests at the dinner to pursue their own claims. "This should not have happened and a lot of people have suffered,'' she said.

"I believe the hotel made every effort to get the problem identified. They called in health officers when people started becoming sick last week. They tried to get a professional evaluation. Unfortunately the health department clearly made a mistake in its evaluation when they gave the hotel the all clear.'' It is understood that bosses may also have contacted organisers of the Lobster Pot Golf Tournament, which was also affected by the illness.

TOURISM TOU