-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, KRpD7xqw/GboKBTlHTRUUZL/PjUB2BIYJARqfNdv19acfNy9SLPsepaMbY20R5b2 PW7UbO1DK6SHV/pHXJIoyA== 0001010521-07-000484.txt : 20070625 0001010521-07-000484.hdr.sgml : 20070625 20070625172104 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001010521-07-000484 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 497 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20070625 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20070625 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20070625 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN SOVEREIGN BOND FUND CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000045288 IRS NUMBER: 042528977 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 497 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 002-48925 FILM NUMBER: 07939515 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS STREET 2: 601 CONGRESS STREET CITY: BOSTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02210 BUSINESS PHONE: 617-663-3000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: C/O JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS STREET 2: 601 CONGRESS STREET CITY: BOSTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02210 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN BONDS DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930921 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN BOND TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19910704 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN BOND FUND INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19841225

0000045288 S000000646 Bond Fund

C000001854 Class A JHNBX

C000001855 Class B JHBBX

C000001856 Class C JHCBX

C000001857 Class I JHBIX

C000001858 Class R JHBRX

497 1 sovbond.txt SOV BOND FUND - 497 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS SUPPLEMENT TO PROSPECTUSES John Hancock Money Market Funds Prospectus dated August 1, 2006 John Hancock Income Funds Class I Prospectus dated October 1, 2006 John Hancock Independence Diversified Core Equity Fund II Prospectus dated July 1, 2006 John Hancock Sector Funds Class A, B and C Prospectus dated March 1, 2007 John Hancock Sector Funds Class I Prospectus dated March 1, 2007 John Hancock Tax-Free Income Fund Class A, B and C Prospectus dated January 1, 2007 John Hancock Technology Leaders Fund Class I Prospectus dated March 1, 2007 John Hancock Greater China Opportunities Fund Class NAV Prospectus dated March 1, 2007 On the back page of each prospectus, the paragraph under the heading "Statement of Additional Information (SAI)" has been deleted and replaced with: "The SAI contains more detailed information on all aspects of the funds. Each fund's SAI includes a summary of the fund's policy regarding disclosure of its portfolio holdings as well as legal and regulatory matters. The current annual report is included in the SAI. A current SAI has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference into (and is legally a part of) this prospectus." June 25, 2007 MF0PS

Supplement to the Statements of Additional Information The following new section has been added to this Statement of Additional Information before the Appendices: LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS On June 25, 2007, John Hancock Advisers, LLC (the "Adviser") and John Hancock Funds, LLC (the "Distributor") and two of their affiliates (collectively, the "John Hancock Affiliates") reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") that resolved an investigation of certain practices relating to the John Hancock Affiliates' variable annuity and mutual fund operations involving directed brokerage and revenue sharing. Under the terms of the settlement, each John Hancock Affiliate was censured and agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty to the United States Treasury. In addition, the Adviser and the Distributor agreed to pay disgorgement of $2,087,477 and prejudgment interest of $359,460 to entities, including certain John Hancock Funds, that participated in the Adviser's directed brokerage program during the period from 2000 to October 2003. Collectively, all John Hancock Affiliates agreed to pay a total disgorgement of $16,926,420 and prejudgment interest of $2,361,460 to the entities advised or distributed by John Hancock Affiliates. The Adviser discontinued the use of directed brokerage in recognition of the sale of fund shares in October 2003. June 25, 2007 MFSAIS 6/07 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----