What was going on when I was born?

Governor Byrne will ask the Legislature tomorrow to consider a broad overhaul of the state's tax structure and to review laws governing the multimillion-dollar casino gambling industry. In his final State of the State message, prepared for delivery to the new legislative session, Mr. Byrne says: ''In some areas we may be imposing regulatory Excerpts from message,page B4. burdens on casino employment and operation which serve no purpose; in other areas we may need expanded authority to insure that the industry assumes its fair share of the costs of growth caused by its expansion.'' Since all 120 legislative seats will be filled in this year's election and Mr. Byrne's tenure is ending - he starts his eighth and final year in office tomorrow - the chances of legislative action this year on anything as controversial as new taxes are considered slim.

An article on the Style page on Sunday incorrectly stated the position of Representative Marge Roukema, the newly elected Congresswoman from New Jersey's Seventh District, on the abortion issue. Mrs. Roukema supports Federal funds for abortions in all cases.

The Surgeon General, Dr. Julius B. Richmond, said today that the low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes to which millions of American smokers have switched in recent years for health reasons do confer some ''limited'' reduction in risk of lung cancer compared to brands high in those substances. But there is little firm evidence, he said, that they reduce cardiovascular diseases, emphysema, bronchitis, complications of pregnancy and other disorders linked to smoking. At the same time, he expressed concern over possible new health hazards from the artificial flavoring additives that the tobacco industry has been using in low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes to replace the flavor lost by cutting tar and nicotine. These additives include such substances as shellac, caramel, eugenol and other chemicals, some of which produce carcinogens when burned.

Consumer installment credit grew by $839 million in November, the fourth consecutive monthly increase, the Federal Reserve reported today. November's credit spurt compared with a $702 million expansion in October, sharply revised downward from an originally reported $1.45 billion increase. Consumers actually borrowed 5 percent less in November than in October, but they paid off outstanding loans at a 5.7 percent slower clip than the previous month, the Federal Reserve reported.

''It looks better, but I can't predict success.'' - President Carter, speaking of the hostage negotiations with Iran. (A1:6.)

Douglas A. Fraser, president of the United Automobile Workers, paid calls today on each of the three members of the Chrysler Loan Guarantee Board as the union and the financially distressed car manufacturer began negotiating a new round of wage concessions. Emerging this morning from an hour with Treasury Secretary G. William Miller, the board's chairman, Mr. Fraser told reporters that ''the Secretary if still hopeful that the board can make a preliminary judgment'' to approve additional loan guarantees by Wednesday. The U.A.W. submitted to Chrysler this morning counterproposals for taking less than the $673 million of wage concessions proposed by Chrysler as part of a larger effort to cut costs by more than $1 billion and win additional Federal loan guarantees. The negotiators met in Washington's Mayflower Hotel.

''Planning-board meetings have become standing room only, with applicants for building permits on one side and residents on the other,'' said Gregory Crescenzo, a consultant to the Hamilton Township planning board. ''It's like the old cowboy movies, with the sodbusters who are already there and the big cattlemen who are moving in.'' He added: ''It's the barroom brawl rather than the quiet walk in the park - you can get caught between the raw emotions on one side and the big numbers of the multimillion-dollar proposals on the other.'' The dispute over a state plan restricting development to preserve environmental value has sparked very intense emotions among residents of the heavily forested, sparsely settled Pine Barrens. This rural Hamilton Township community of about 2,500 people exemplifies the controversy because of its proximity to Atlantic City and the spreading demand for housing created by the new casino industry there.

Schools and some businesses here closed today after utilities in this city and on Cape Cod declared an ''energy emergency'' to alleviate a natural gas shortage caused by intensely cold weather that is continuing to drive up demand and deplete reserves throughout the Northeast. Many industries were closed because of the shortage, which affected an estimated 84,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers. In many stores that remained open, the temperatures were lowered, forcing employees to work in overcoats. In Lowell, most of the major employers, including the Wang Corporation and the Raytheon Corporation, were able to switch to fuel oil and remain open.

THE human population is a hunting ground for viruses that stalk every man, woman and child throughout life. Only a few persons ever turn the tables to pursue, capture and defeat these universal predators. Among those few is Dr. Robert M. Chanock of the National Institutes of Health, a specialist in virus research for 30 years. His team at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a unit of the N.I.H., continues to score victories and broaden the scope of human knowledge of virus infections. Their formula; a blend of imagination, scientific creativity and much persistent hard work. ''Our motto is: do whatever we have to do to solve a problem,'' says Dr. Chanock. Today his main research role is that of director, collector of talented staff, catalyst of ideas, polisher of the many scientific papers his team puts out. Colleagues say he is equipped for his role by a voracious appetite for reading The Scientific Mind One in a series of articles that will appear from time to time on the creative process in science. everything in his field, a sharp, retentive mind, rigor in compiling airtight scientific evidence, persistence and infectious enthusiasm. He appears to be one of those scientists for whom the research is the whole game, who needs no flamboyance.

Both these issues are dated Jan. 15, 1981. The three-month bills mature April 16, 1981 and the six-month bills, July 16, 1981. 6-MONTH ISSUE BRINGS 14.23% AT WEEKLY AUCTION By MICHAEL QUINT Rates on new Treasury bills rose sharply at yesterday's auctions, the three-month issue averaging 15.32 percent, up from 13.60 percent a week earlier, and the six-month issue averaging 14.23 percent, up from 13.18 percent. After adding a quarter-percentage point to the auction average, banks and savings institutitons may pay up to 14.48 percent on new six-month money market savings certificates, starting Thursday.

The Iranian Parliament today failed, for procedural reasons, to approve emergency legislation designed to speed an agreement for the release of the 52 American Embassy hostages. The vote was postponed until tomorrow because officials were unable to round up enough members of the Guardian Council, which must sit with the Parliament to approve emergency legislation. Under the bylaws, nine of the 12 members of the Council must be present. The difficulty appeared to be only a matter of getting enough Council members to the session, and did not appear to indicate an outbreak of opposition to the measure. Several members of the Council were said to be out of town.

Price controls on crude oil and gasoline should be removed ''as soon as possible,'' James B. Edwards, Secretary of Energy-designate, told a Senate confirmation hearing. The marketplace should determine the cost of energy, he said. (Page B6.) Raymond J. Donovan, Secretary of Labor-designate, was quizzed at a confirmation hearing about a seeming link between his New Jersey construction company and figures allegedly involved in political corruption and labor racketeering. (B6.)