The 23-year-old left-hander made a gutsy knock of 80 and combined in a stand of 84 with Ben Lockrose for the seventh wicket, which steered the Volts away from the precipice.
Their efforts helped the Volts get through to 267 at Seddon Park.
Jacob Duffy nabbed a late wicket to leave Northern Districts 21 for one at stumps on day 1.
The game is nicely balanced. But the home team dominated the morning session.
Scott Kuggeleijn removed three of the top six to leave the Volts teetering at five for 77.
He returned to nab another three in the final session and finished with a haul of six for 60.
It was his 11th first-class wicket bag.
The signs looked ominous for Otago early on. Black Caps test bowler Neil Wagner dropped on to a full length and was getting some nice shape.
He is better known for bowling bumper after bumper at international level, but he can swing the ball too and was a challenge.
But it was Kuggeleijn who made the breakthrough.
He got the ball to jag back from wide on the crease and Jacob Cumming sent it into the slips, where Brett Hampton was waiting.
He had the dubious honour of being the first player dismissed in 2023-24.
Luke Georgeson survived a close lbw call from Wagner, but was run out for 17.
Dale Phillips had turned for the third and thought he was heading to the danger end. But it was Georgeson who was in trouble.
He does not have the acceleration Phillips enjoys and Kuggeleijn’s throw found the gloves of Ben Pomare, who finished the job.
Newly minted Volts captain Dean Foxcroft looked in fine touch, speeding through to 18 before getting squared up and nicking off to first slip.
The custard thickened further when Phillips, who was on 32, lofted a drive Kristian Clarke.
Moments later Kuggeleijn had a third. Debutant Jamal Todd was trapped in front.
Kuggeleijn had speared in a yorker and struck the batter on the boot.
That is as bad as it got for the visitors, though.
Thorn Parkes and Chu guided Otago through to lunch without further calamity.
But Parkes fell into a Wagner trap shortly after the resumption. He pulled a short ball to Clarke and trudged back to the dressing room having spoiled a promising knock of 28.
Lockrose replaced Parkes at the crease and made his case for all-rounder status. He played a series of delightful cut shots that even the top-order players would have admired.
His 40 was critical in helping the Volts wriggle out of trouble.
But Chu was the hero. He had a couple of escapes but also swivelled into several fine pull shots and nearly took the umpire out with a memorable straight drive.
Tailender Matt Bacon scored a valuable 23 not out in his first four-day game since 2021.
But Duffy had the last say. He removed the dangerous Henry Cooper with a well-directed bouncer.
In the other two matches, Wellington reached 306 for seven against Canterbury at the Basin Reserve.
Nick Greenwood stroked 79 and Nick Kelly (52) and Mohammed Abbas (57) made half-centuries as well.
Central Districts has seized the initiative against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval, with 276 for two. Veteran opener Grey Hay is unbeaten on 115.
OTAGO
First innings
L Georgeson run out (Kuggeleijn/Pomare) 17
J Cumming c Hampton b Kuggeleijn 9
D Phillips c Walker b Kuggeleijn 32
D Foxcroft c Pomare b KDC Clarke 18
T Parkes c KDC Clarke b Wagner 28
J Todd lbw b Kuggeleijn 0
M Chu c&b Kuggeleijn 80
B Lockrose c Patel b Kuggeleijn 40
J Duffy c Pomare b Hampton 12
M Bacon not out 23
J McKay c KC Clarke b Kuggeleijn 0
Extras (2lb, 4w, 2nb) 8
Total (all out, 83.5 overs) 267
Fall: 1-16, 2-35, 3-68, 4-77, 5-77, 6-120, 7-204, 8-232, 9-261.
Bowling: N Wagner 12-3-34-1, S Kuggeleijn 19.5-4-60-6 (3w), KDC Clarke 18-4-65-1 (1w), B Hampton 15-3-42-1 (2nb), J Walker 18-1-64-0, H Cooper 1-1-0-0.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
First innings
H Cooper c Cumming b Duffy 4
J Raval not out 15
J Walker not out 1
Extras (1lb) 1
Total (for 1 wkt, 10 overs) 21
Fall: 1-8.
Bowlers: J Duffy 5-2-4-1, M Bacon 5-0-16-0.
