The usual Ministerial dinners in honour of the Queen's Birthday were held on Saturday last, the Marquis of Ripon enter taining the inevitable crowd of ex-Go vernors, Agents - General, Bishops, and K.C.M.G.'s at the Colonial Office. The Royalties split up on this occasion, one honouring one banquet and one another, i but all meeting later at the great reception |at the Foreign Office. The Duke of York shed the light of his countenance on Lord Ripon's re-union, and amongst personalities familiar to you who —as the Yankees say — " mealed " together were the Earl of Jersey, Lord Stanmore, Sir George Bowen, Sir Frederick Abel, Sir Robert Herbert, Sir Henry Loch, Sir W. Des Voeux, Sir Westby Peceval, Sir James Garrick, Sir Robert Meade, Sir Malcolm' Fraser, &c. Sir George Grey, Sir John Hall and Sir John Cox Bray were invited, but unable to be present. The reception at the Foreign Office on the Queen's Birthday is the one really smart function of the London season upon which colonial visitors of eminence can safely count. I have more than once de scribed to you the brilliant scene as one stands near the head of the grand stair case, watching the gorgeous throng of heavily gilded, and decorated and uni formed males, and be-diamonded dames slowly ascending. The only difference be tween Saturday's and previous functions was that Lady Kimberley played hostess, and Conservatives were not numerous. THE HONOURS LIST. South Australia and Victoria (the former particularly) have every reason to be well pleased with the Honours List, but Anglo-New Zealanders and Cape folk are grumbling. It was hoped Lord Rosebery would offer Sir George Grey a Baronetcy, and the South Africans complain bitterly, and with some reason, of the way the colonial leaders in Matabeleland have been passed over. SAMOA IN THE HOUSE. Two questions affecting the colonies were put in the House on Monday evening, the first in regard to Samoa by Mr J. A. Pease, and the second relating to the Empire Trade Conference by Colonel Howard Vincent. The first trespasser on Hogue and Company's domain was answered by Sir Edward Grey. 