BOSTON, July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund (NYSE: HTY), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC, reported today that net investment income was $3,231,048 for the second quarter ended April 30, 2008.

As of April 30, 2008, the net asset value per share was $17.03 with total net assets of $159,189,444 and 9,350,000 common shares outstanding.

About Manulife Financial and John Hancock

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial Services, John Hancock Funds manages more than $54.1 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at March 31, 2008. John Hancock Funds are distributed by John Hancock Funds, LLC, member FINRA. For more information, please visit http://www.jhfunds.com.

John Hancock is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$400 billion (US$389 billion) as of March 31, 2008. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at http://www.manulife.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund