PRESS RELEASE

MINT ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER DISTRIBUTION

Middlefield High Income Trust ("MINT") is pleased to announce that a distribution of $0.17 per trust unit will be payable on October 15, 1997 to unitholders of record on September 30, 1997. This distribution translates into a cash yield of 11.3% p.a. based upon the current market price of $6.00.

Unitholders of MINT can acquire additional units by participating in the Automatic Distribution Reinvestment Plan. The Plan enables unitholders to reinvest their quarterly distributions in additional units of MINT thereby achieving the benefit of compounding returns. In order to take advantage of the Plan on the upcoming distribution, unitholders should contact their investment advisor or the undersigned prior to October 15, 1997.

MINT trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MID.IR

For further information contact:

Mr. W. Garth Jestley
Director
Middlefield Group
(416) 362-0714

September 19, 1997