Chews Lane

Chews Lane is a pedestrian thoroughfare between Willis and Victoria Streets. It was formed as part of reclamation carried out by Governor Grey (Province of New Munster) in 1852.  Greys reclamation extended from Willis to Victoria Streets between Chews Lane and Mercer Street. It was initially an unnamed right-of-way and would have been named Chew's Lane sometime between 1858 and 1888.

It was named after the Chew family who were some of the earliest settlers in Ngaio, John Chew having arrived in New Zealand in 1858.  John Chew was an engineer and had a sawmill business on Willis Street, at which his son Edward also worked. On John Chew's death his wife, Esther Chew, took over the business. 

In 2009 a large group of apartments were built by Athfield Architects, which straddle the two Chews Lane podia between Victoria and Willis Streets. This is often referred to as the Chews Lane Precinct.