People in communities near Nelson are worried about the wider impacts of losing PO Box and post office counter services when they close later this month.
It comes after two third party agencies that offered some NZ Post services decided they no longer wanted to.
Located to the west of Nelson on State Highway 60, 58 PO boxes in Māpua and 34 in Upper Moutere would be relocated to Richmond.
Counter services are offered there or in Motueka - meaning a drive for those needing them.
There are no changes to mail or parcel delivery and NZ Post is seeking a retailer who may be able to sell stamps and envelopes.
Māpua residents association chairperson Jim Vause said the community of around 2000 residents were "unhappy" about the decision.
"There's a number of people, particularly the older people, for whom modern technology is not something they're particularly familiar with, and these are the people that are going to be impacted by this, along with businesses and people trying to get some of their products out of the town where they use the postal service for that."
He said the post office was not just about a commercial offering - it played an important role in the community.
Māpua residents association chairperson Jim Vause. (Source: 1News)
"It's not just a straight commercial service, it's social. It's like having doctors or dentists or things like that.
"We need these sorts of services, you need to cater to the people and a lot of planning don't include those social services.
"For younger people it doesn't matter so much because they're okay with all the technology. It disadvantages the disadvantaged."
Rural Women New Zealand chief executive Marie Fitzpatrick. (Source: 1News)
Rural Women New Zealand chief executive Marie Fitzpatrick said this was a common story being heard in rural towns across the country, calling it was a "death by a thousand cuts" experience for rural communities.
"We know that connection to other humans is fundamental to one's wellbeing and isolation is a massive problem in rural communities, so this is just another reduction in the ability to connect to other people and feel good about yourself and feel like you’re a functioning member of NZ society."
She said it was "really concerning" that NZ Post was not taking into consideration the social good involved in the services they provide.
"They have a responsibility as a state-owned enterprise to deliver for all New Zelanders, not just the ones that live in urban centres," she said.
In a statement, NZ Post said it was not "commercially viable" to partner with another agency to provide postal services in these communities, but it was looking to partner with another retail host in the area to be a reseller.
"NZ Post partners with third party agencies to offer postal services to communities. From time to time an agency may decide to close down, or as is the case with the agencies in Māpua and Upper Moutere, they inform NZ Post that they no longer wish to offer postal services," it said.
When an agency closes or decides to no longer offer postal services, NZ Post said it considers "a number of options" on whether to partner with another agency in the same community, such as whether there is a suitable agency to partner with, whether the new store would be commercially viable and the distance to other stores in the region.
A graphic showing where Māpua and Upper Moutere residents would have to travel to for their nearest postal services. (Source: 1News)
"This means they would sell basic postal items, such as stamps and prepaid envelopes to be posted via one of NZ Post's Posting Boxes that are remaining in Māpua and Upper Moutere."
It reminded customers in these communities that they would still be able to access full postal services (including bill payment services) in the nearby Post Shops in Richmond and Motueka or domestic sending services at the Brightwater Post Shop.
Fitzpatrick said they were seeking a strategy from NZ Post around supporting rural communities and what happens when retailers or resellers pull their services.
"We're taking it to Government, we're taking it up the chain… about their deed of understanding with NZ Post and how they factor in rural understanding and rural connection into that deed of understanding so that basically they’re held to account to deliver for all New Zealanders not just the ones that live in cities."
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