Joseph Dresser Tetley (28 November 1825 – 21 August 1878)[1] was an English-born New Zealand land owner, sheep farmer, and politician.

He eventually fled from New Zealand, having deceived various investors who lost a combined NZ$7 million converted to today's value.

The resulting scandal was discussed in the media and the courts for the following two years, though Tetley himself was never charged, as he had disappeared to South America.

[2] Through his wife, Tetley was able to establish connections with the gentry, and was invited to a party around 1856, where he met Frederick Weld.

[9][10] Upon his arrival in New Zealand, thanks to his connections with Weld, Tetley was able to meet with Nathaniel Levin, a businessman in Wellington.

Young, and the interpreter Abraham Warbrick travelled from Tauranga to the country's interior at Taupō to purchase or lease land from Māori.

[26] Tetley left New Zealand on 8 May 1868 on the Mataura from Wellington Harbour for Southampton via Panama, with the stated intention of returning immediately.

Tetley was in thousands of pounds of debt, did not leave any money behind to cover the continued costs of running his properties, and had used the investments as a means of boosting his own finances in order to obtain several large unsecured loans – thereby dashing all hopes of his investors gaining a return on their investments.

[6][29] Levin, who had since been appointed to the Legislative Council himself,[18] sued Beaumont for defamation, and the case was heavily publicised.

[2][1][31] At the time, Cadwallader, his middle son, was farming in Estanzuela, Uruguay [es] near Colonia del Sacramento.