A new 1D oxalato bridged compound Ni(en)(ox)-2$H_2$O, (ox = oxalate; en = ethylenediamine) has been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectrum, TG analysis, and magnetic measurements. In the structure the Ni atoms are coordinated with four oxygen atoms in two oxalate ions and two nitrogen atoms in one ethylenediamine molecule. The oxalate anion acts as a bis-bidentate ligand bridging Ni atoms in cis-configuration. This completes the infinite zigzag neutral chain, [Ni(en)(ox)]. The interchain space is filled by water molecules that link the chains through a network of hydrogen bonds. Thermal variance of the magnetic susceptibility shows a broad maximum around 50 K characteristic of one-dimensional antiferromagnetic coupling. The theoretical fit of the data for T > 20 K led to the nearest neighbor spin interaction J = -43 K and g = 2.25. The rapid decrease in susceptibility below 20 K indicate this compound to be a likely Haldane gap candidate material with S = 1.