HANCOCK JOHN TAX EXEMPT SERIES FUND
NSAR-A, 1996-04-26
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
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000 C000000 0000811921
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
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000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
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001 B000000 811-5079
001 C000000 6173751700
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
002 D020000 7603
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004  000000 N
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007 C020200 MASSACHUSETTS PORTFOLIO
007 C030200 N
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007 C020300 NEW YORK PORTFOLIO
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007 C010600  6
007 C010700  7
007 C010800  8
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008 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-8124
008 D01AA01 BOSTON
008 D02AA01 MA
008 D03AA01 02199
008 D04AA01 7603
011 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-43582
011 C01AA01 BOSTON
011 C02AA01 MA
011 C03AA01 02199
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
011 C04AA01 7603
012 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK INVESTOR SERVICES CORPORATION
012 B00AA01 84-1885
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012 C02AA01 MA
012 C03AA01 02199
013 A00AA01 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
013 B01AA01 BOSTON
013 B02AA01 MA
013 B03AA01 02110
014 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-13995
014 A00AA02 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
014 B00AA02 8-43582
014 A00AA03 TUCKER ANTHONY, INC.
014 B00AA03 8-24297
014 A00AA04 SUTRO & CO., INC.
014 B00AA04 8-7981
014 A00AA05 JOHN HANCOCK MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
014 B00AA05 8-15661
014 A00AA06 FREEDOM DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
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015 A00AA01 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
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<PAGE>      PAGE  3
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<PAGE>      PAGE  4
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<PAGE>      PAGE  5
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<PAGE>      PAGE  6
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<PAGE>      PAGE  7
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<PAGE>      PAGE  8
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<PAGE>      PAGE  9
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<PAGE>      PAGE  10
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<PAGE>      PAGE  11
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<PAGE>      PAGE  12
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<PAGE>      PAGE  13
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<PAGE>      PAGE  15
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SIGNATURE   THOMAS H. DROHAN                             
TITLE       SR.VICE PRESIDENT   
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 011
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES - CALIFORNIA PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-15-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       43,911,764
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      46,165,176
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<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                         2,253,412
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<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 021
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES - MASSACHUSETTS PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
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<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-29-1996
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<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   1,776
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                         2,793,002
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              58,109,489
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       960,558
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      296,510
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,257,068
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    54,482,461
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        4,740,016
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,627,583
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        1,994
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (425,036)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     2,793,002
<NET-ASSETS>                                56,852,421
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,725,964
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 197,045
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,528,919
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       269,201
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      832,464
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        2,630,584
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    1,528,919
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        353,001
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    326,333
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             85,765
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       2,436,726
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          1,994
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (694,237)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          140,605
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                323,734
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        56,551,114
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.76
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.32
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           0.23
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.32
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.99
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.70
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 031
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES - NEW YORK PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-29-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       53,802,889
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      57,023,310
<RECEIVABLES>                                  930,459
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  69,286
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                         3,152,939
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              57,955,573
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      185,796
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            185,796
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    54,662,099
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        4,743,948
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,694,309
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        8,092
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       (53,353)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     3,152,939
<NET-ASSETS>                                57,769,777
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,758,956
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 199,077
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,559,879
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       311,442
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    1,105,591
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        2,976,912
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    1,559,879
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        284,549
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    328,145
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             93,235
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       2,016,810
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          8,092
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (364,795)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          142,189
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                321,044
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        57,188,175
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.88
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.33
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           0.30
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.33
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.18
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.70
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>


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