<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-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-28-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       55,699,891
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      59,965,659
<RECEIVABLES>                                1,827,454
<ASSETS-OTHER>                               1,663,767
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              63,456,880
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     3,255,778
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       56,172
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          3,311,950
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    55,834,654
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        4,182,535
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,148,992
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       15,483
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                         28,609
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     4,266,184
<NET-ASSETS>                                60,144,930
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,723,354
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 235,424
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,487,930
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       460,111
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (747,113)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        1,200,928
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    1,321,856
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                       473,690
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        175,816
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    248,520
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            106,247
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       1,948,171
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         15,483
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      116,757
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          149,171
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                347,873
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        52,504,780
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            12.62
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.32
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.06)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.32)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (0.11)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.45
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.75
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>