HANCOCK JOHN TAX EXEMPT SERIES FUND
NSAR-A, 1997-04-28
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
000 A000000 02/28/97
000 C000000 0000811921
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES FUND
001 B000000 811-5079
001 C000000 6173751702
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
002 D020000 7603
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000  2
007 C010100  1
007 C010200  2
007 C020200 JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME
007 C030200 N
007 C010300  3
007 C020300 JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400  4
007 C010500  5
007 C010600  6
007 C010700  7
007 C010800  8
007 C010900  9
007 C011000 10
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
011 C04AA01 7603
012 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK SIGNATURE SERVICES, INC.
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
012 B00AA01 84-1885
012 C01AA01 BOSTON
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
014 B00AA06 8-37458
015 A00AA01 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 BOSTON
015 C02AA01 MA
015 C03AA01 02111
015 E01AA01 X
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019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00   59
019 C00AA00 JOHNHANCOC
020 A000001 BEAR STEARNS & CO.
020 B000001 13-2975144
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022 D000001      4826
022 A000002 FIRST ALBANY
022 B000002 14-1391446
022 C000002      2533
022 D000002      2024
022 A000003 PAINE WEBBER INC.
<PAGE>      PAGE  3
022 B000003 13-2638166
022 C000003      2319
022 D000003      1125
022 A000004 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
022 B000004 13-2655998
022 C000004      1542
022 D000004      1455
022 A000005 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000005 13-5108880
022 C000005      1987
022 D000005       987
022 A000006 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
022 B000006 22-2347336
022 C000006      1550
022 D000006       698
022 A000007 ABN AMRO
022 C000007      1025
022 D000007       983
022 A000008 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
022 B000008 13-1912900
022 C000008       500
022 D000008      1468
022 A000009 TUCKER ANTHONY & R.L. DAY
022 C000009         0
022 D000009      1639
022 A000010 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000010 13-2726611
022 C000010      1453
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023 D000000      17448
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<PAGE>      PAGE  4
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054 L00AA00 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  5
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<PAGE>      PAGE  6
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<PAGE>      PAGE  7
062 R000200   0.0
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070 L020200 N
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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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042 D000300   0
042 E000300   0
042 F000300   0
042 G000300   0
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044  000300     95
058 A000300 N
059  000300 Y
060 A000300 N
060 B000300 N
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062 C000300   0.0
062 D000300   0.0
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062 F000300   0.0
062 G000300   0.0
062 H000300   0.0
062 I000300   0.0
062 J000300   0.0
062 K000300   0.0
062 L000300   2.7
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062 O000300  97.3
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062 R000300   0.0
063 A000300   0
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064 A000300 N
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070 A010300 Y
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070 B020300 N
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070 C020300 Y
070 D010300 Y
070 D020300 N
070 E010300 Y
070 E020300 Y
070 F010300 Y
<PAGE>      PAGE  11
070 F020300 N
070 G010300 Y
070 G020300 N
070 H010300 Y
070 H020300 N
070 I010300 N
070 I020300 N
070 J010300 Y
070 J020300 N
070 K010300 Y
070 K020300 N
070 L010300 N
070 L020300 N
070 M010300 N
070 M020300 N
070 N010300 Y
070 N020300 N
070 O010300 N
070 O020300 N
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070 P020300 N
070 Q010300 N
070 Q020300 N
070 R010300 N
070 R020300 N
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SIGNATURE   SUSAN S. NEWTON                              
TITLE       VICE PRESIDENT      
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 021
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS 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>                       52,909,010
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      55,706,599
<RECEIVABLES>                                  816,968
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   2,012
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              56,525,579
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      233,969
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            233,969
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
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<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        4,642,176
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,731,610
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        4,189
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        539,264
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<NET-ASSETS>                                56,291,610
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
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<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
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<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        3,068,552
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
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<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.98
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.71
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 022
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND - CLASS B
       
<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>                       52,909,010
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      55,706,599
<RECEIVABLES>                                  816,968
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   2,012
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              56,525,579
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      233,969
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            233,969
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    54,028,898
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        57,739
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,731,610
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        4,189
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        539,264
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
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<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>

<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
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
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<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
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
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<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
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                314,766
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<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>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 032
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND-CLASS B
       
<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
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<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>                           70,499
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       17,601
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
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<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        2,696,986
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         71,181
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                      1,115
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<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.41
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
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</TABLE>


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