<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-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-28-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       52,776,893
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      57,652,212
<RECEIVABLES>                                1,710,417
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 627,480
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              59,990,109
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     1,376,294
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       56,848
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,433,142
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    53,777,304
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        4,362,364
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,416,264
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       24,926
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (120,998)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     4,875,735
<NET-ASSETS>                                58,556,967
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,709,983
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 210,081
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,499,902
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       385,677
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      970,852
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        2,856,431
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    1,435,028
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        266,575
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    403,746
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             83,271
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       2,057,266
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         32,712
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (506,675)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          142,208
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                211,995
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        54,188,698
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            12.25
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.33
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           0.29
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.33)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.54
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.71
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>