<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 031
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND-CLASS A
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-28-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       52,378,148
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      55,438,884
<RECEIVABLES>                                1,835,058
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   2,044
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              57,275,986
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      307,062
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            307,062
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    54,437,211
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        4,654,311
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,753,390
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       17,601
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        546,825
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     3,060,937
<NET-ASSETS>                                56,968,924
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,817,492
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 201,122
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,616,370
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                        26,030
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    1,054,586
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        2,696,986
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    1,607,421
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        299,756
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    494,437
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             95,602
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         740,173
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         15,420
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      572,855
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          143,038
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                314,766
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        57,097,472
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.83
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.34
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           0.23
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.34
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.06
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.71
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>