December 30, 1982

The National Mediation Board, in an unexpected move, announced yesterday that it would intervene in the labor dispute involving the commuter rail lines to New York City's northern suburbs. The board said it would also intervene in disputes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. All three disputes stemmed from the scheduled takeovers by local authorities of commuter services from Conrail on Saturday. Negotiations with rail unions have been at a critical stage, leading to fears of a strike. But the board's action in Washington means that working conditions and pay scales now in effect would remain - contrary to changes sought by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - thereby reducing the prospects of a walkout on New Year's Day.

Governor-elect Mario M. Cuomo said yesterday that he would ask the Legislature to enact changes in the method of selecting judges for the state's highest court. The proposed modifications are designed to diversify the pool of candidates for seats on the New York Court of Appeals, as well as to give the Governor a longer list of people to choose from. Earlier this month, a special nominating commission forwarded to Mr. Cuomo the names of four candidates for the court seat now held by Judge Domenick L. Gabrielli, who is retiring tomorrow. None of them were women or had extensive criminal-justice experience, two specifications that Mr. Cuomo had suggested, and he asked the panel for more names. The panel responded that it could not legally do so.

The nation's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $4.1 billion in November, from $5.3 billion in October, the Government reported today. But for all of 1982, the deficit seems certain to exceed the 1978 record of $42.4 billion. Saying that it was ''not unreasonable'' to assume that December's deficit would be $5 billion or more, David Lund, a Commerce Department analyst, declared: ''There will be a record deficit this year.'' Last year's trade deficit was $39.7 billion, and that for the first 11 months of this year was $39.1 billion.

''I intend to go right on living. That may come as a disappointment to some.''

The executive committee of the union representing Legal Aid Society lawyers in New York City voted yesterday to recommend acceptance of a tentative agreement to end a 10-week strike. The new two-year contract would run until July 1984 and provide for wage increases of 6 percent in the first year and 5.2 percent in the second. Union members are scheduled to vote on the proposal at 10 A.M. today. If it passes, the lawyers could be back at work on Monday, according to Gary Sloman, a spokesman for the union, the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys.