Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The Reserve Bank wants to try bringing back cash services in rural communities next year.
The central bank says smaller regional communities are lacking commercial over-the-counter or ATM cash services.
It says cash is more convenient and has lower costs for individuals and businesses.
The Reserve Bank wants two or three districts with communities with populations smaller than 10,000 that have lost most or all of their banking services.
The bank's director of money and cash, Ian Woolford, says the trial will confirm what cash services these communities need and then what solutions could fit those.
He expects the trials to run for 18 months and the research from them to be used for future work on the cash system.
