<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001145549-18-006954.txt : 20181012
<SEC-HEADER>0001145549-18-006954.hdr.sgml : 20181012
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20181011190323
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001145549-18-006954
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	N-CEN
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20180731
FILED AS OF DATE:		20181012
EFFECTIVENESS DATE:		20181012

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			JOHN HANCOCK PREFERRED INCOME FUND III
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001215913
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0731

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		N-CEN
		SEC ACT:		1940 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-21287
		FILM NUMBER:		181119095

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O 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
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        </director>
      </directors>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Francis V. Knox, Jr.</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>N/A</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>601 Congress Street</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>Boston</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoState="US-MA" ccoCountry="US"/>
          <ccoZipCode>02210</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
          <ccoEmployers>
            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerName="N/A" ccoEmployerId="N/A"/>
          </ccoEmployers>
        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isClaimFiled>N</isClaimFiled>
      <coveredByInsurancePolicy isCoveredByInsurancePolicy="Y" isClaimFiledDuringPeriod="N"/>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <releaseNumbers isExemptionFromAct="Y">
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-17970"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-18898"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-20843"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-21171"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-27261"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-28389"/>
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      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>John Hancock Funds, LLC</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>8-43582</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000028262</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterState="US-MA" principalUnderWriterCountry="US"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
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        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>00238</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>N/A</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantState="US-MA" publicAccountantCountry="US"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isMaterialWeakness>N</isMaterialWeakness>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
      <isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>N</isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>
      <paymentDividendSeries isPaymentDividend="Y"/>
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    <managementInvestmentQuestionSeriesInfo>
      <managementInvestmentQuestion>
        <mgmtInvFundName>John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III</mgmtInvFundName>
        <mgmtInvLei>549300SKQ7P13U1YJN71</mgmtInvLei>
        <isFirstFilingByFund>Y</isFirstFilingByFund>
        <fundType>N/A</fundType>
        <isNonDiversifiedCompany>N</isNonDiversifiedCompany>
        <isForeignSubsidiary>N</isForeignSubsidiary>
        <isFundSecuritiesLending>N</isFundSecuritiesLending>
        <didFundLendSecurities>N</didFundLendSecurities>
        <paymentToAgentManagerType>N/A</paymentToAgentManagerType>
        <avgPortfolioSecuritiesValue>N/A</avgPortfolioSecuritiesValue>
        <netIncomeSecuritiesLending>N/A</netIncomeSecuritiesLending>
        <relyOnRuleTypes>
          <relyOnRuleType>Rule 32a-4 (17 CFR 270.32a-4)</relyOnRuleType>
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        <isExpenseLimitationInPlace>Y</isExpenseLimitationInPlace>
        <isExpenseReducedOrWaived>Y</isExpenseReducedOrWaived>
        <isFeesWaivedRecoupable>N</isFeesWaivedRecoupable>
        <isExpenseWaivedRecoupable>N</isExpenseWaivedRecoupable>
        <investmentAdvisers>
          <investmentAdviser>
            <investmentAdviserName>John Hancock Advisers, LLC</investmentAdviserName>
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        </investmentAdvisers>
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          <subAdviser>
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            <isSubAdviserHired>N</isSubAdviserHired>
          </subAdviser>
        </subAdvisers>
        <transferAgents>
          <transferAgent>
            <transferAgentName>Computershare Inc</transferAgentName>
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            <isTransferAgentSubAgent>N</isTransferAgentSubAgent>
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        <isTransferAgentHiredOrTerminated>N</isTransferAgentHiredOrTerminated>
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            <pricingServiceName>Thomson Reuters</pricingServiceName>
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            <pricingServiceName>ICE Data Services</pricingServiceName>
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            <pricingServiceName>Pricing Direct</pricingServiceName>
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          <pricingService>
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          <pricingService>
            <pricingServiceName>Bloomberg LP</pricingServiceName>
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            <isSubCustodian>N</isSubCustodian>
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        <isBrokerageResearchPayment>Y</isBrokerageResearchPayment>
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      </managementInvestmentQuestion>
    </managementInvestmentQuestionSeriesInfo>
    <closedEndManagementInvestment>
      <securityRelatedItems>
        <securityRelatedItem>
          <description>Common stock</description>
          <securityClassTitle>Common shares</securityClassTitle>
          <commonStocks>
            <commonStock commonStockExchange="ARCD" commonStockTickerSymbol="HPS"/>
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        </securityRelatedItem>
      </securityRelatedItems>
      <isRightsOffering>N</isRightsOffering>
      <isSecondaryOffering>N</isSecondaryOffering>
      <isRepurchaseSecurity>N</isRepurchaseSecurity>
      <isDefaultLongTermDebt>N</isDefaultLongTermDebt>
      <isDividendsInArrears>N</isDividendsInArrears>
      <isSecuritiesModified>N</isSecuritiesModified>
      <managementFee>0.750000000000</managementFee>
      <netOperatingExpenses>2.460000000000</netOperatingExpenses>
      <marketPricePerShare>18.430000000000</marketPricePerShare>
      <netAssetValuePerShare>18.840000000000</netAssetValuePerShare>
    </closedEndManagementInvestment>
    <exchangeSeriesInfo/>
    <attachmentsTab>
      <isIPAReportInternalControl>true</isIPAReportInternalControl>
    </attachmentsTab>
    <signature registrantSignedName="John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III" signedDate="2018-10-11" signature="Salvatore Schiavone" title="Treasurer"/>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>INTERNAL CONTROL RPT
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>internalcontrolreport_2.htm
<DESCRIPTION>AUDITOR INTERNAL CONTROL REPORT
<TEXT>
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>Form 8-K</TITLE>
</HEAD>
 <BODY BGCOLOR="WHITE">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">To the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (the &#147;Fund&#148;) as of and for the year ended
July&nbsp;31, 2018, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (&#147;PCAOB&#148;), we considered the Fund&#146;s internal control over financial reporting, including controls over safeguarding
securities, as a basis for designing our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the requirements of Form <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">N-CEN,</FONT> but not for the purpose of
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund&#146;s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund&#146;s internal control over financial reporting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting. In fulfilling this
responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required to assess the expected benefits and related costs of controls. A fund&#146;s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding
the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A fund&#146;s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and
procedures that (1)&nbsp;pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the fund; (2)&nbsp;provide reasonable assurance that transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the fund are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and
trustees of the fund; and (3)&nbsp;provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of a fund&#146;s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of
effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A deficiency in internal control over financial reporting exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the
normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent or detect misstatements on a timely basis. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a
reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the fund&#146;s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Our consideration of the Fund&#146;s internal control over financial reporting was for the limited purpose described in the first paragraph and would not
necessarily disclose all deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting that might be material weaknesses under standards established by the PCAOB. However, we noted no deficiencies in the Fund&#146;s internal control over financial
reporting and its operation, including controls over safeguarding securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined above as of July&nbsp;31, 2018. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This report is intended solely for the information and use of the Board of Trustees of John Hancock Preferred
Income Fund III and the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>


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<TD VALIGN="top">/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top">Boston, Massachusetts</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top">September&nbsp;17, 2018</TD></TR>
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